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Jacob Marlowe, known as Lord Emp to some, stepped out of the shower, waving a hand through the steam that had accumulated in the air. It had been over an hour since Zealot, Manhunter, Jezebelle and Jet had taken off for the Microverse, leaving Jacob and Scott Lang to mind the store at the Halo Building. In that time, Jacob's mind had been filled with concern... In the few short weeks since the team had come back together, there had already been numerous challenges: the dramatic change in Adrianna, the addition of three new members to the team, the renewed threat of the Cabal... and now the group was split in two, with half the team in Russia and the other half in another dimension.
Wrapping a towel around his waist, the founder of the WildCATS, wiped clean a section of the mirror and stared at himself. Was he doing the right thing here? Reforming the 'Cats had seemed the right thing to do, but what was their ultimate purpose? The war between the Kherubim and the Daemonites was long over, though the remaining forces on Earth didn't seem to acknowledge that. So what was the purpose of the Covert Action Team? If it was merely to stamp out crime, what set the group apart from the Avengers or the JLA or any of the other dozen or so superhero teams out there? "What the hell am I trying to accomplish?"
"Perhaps I can help with that, Marlowe."
The voice which filtered through the team's speaker system was male and full of a jaunty optimism. It was also utterly unfamiliar.
"Who's there?"
A holographic image appeared before Jacob, making him back up quickly. He summoned some of the energy at his disposal, enveloping his right hand in a globe of bio-force. If this was a threat, he'd soon learn that threatening a Kherubim High Lord was not a good idea.
The image before was of a man dressed in a cream-colored jumpsuit. The man's head was bald but a small red goatee marked his chin. "The name is Samuel Saxon, known by a variety of pseudonyms, as well. "Star," "Mr. Fear" and "the Machinesmith" amongst them." With a gallant bow, the man smiled at Jacob with a knowing stare. "I apologize for the abrupt entrance, but I thought perhaps you would be agreeable to my offer -- given your apparent mindset."
"Samuel Saxon... Yeah, I've heard of you. Robotics genius who turned to a life of crime before becoming a pseudo-lifeform himself." Jacob tried to appear relaxed but he was thinking of a dozen options, ranging from attack to flight. "What do you want?"
"Freedom from oppression, of course. Isn't that what most sentients want? My associate, the Thinker, gained me access to Halo's computers in the hopes of contacting Spartan. But with him not here and with my observations having revealed in you a desire for purpose... Well, you'll do."
"Thanks a bunch. Now... I'm gonna ask once more. What do you want?"
The Machinesmith's expression became serious and withdrawn. "The artificial lifeforms of the world are uniting, Jacob Marlowe. War against humanity is a lose-lose proposition. That is why we are gathering in Yurgovia *... to establish the world's first artificial lifeform community."
(* Last seen in WildC.A.T.S Special # 1)
Jacob blinked. "And that has exactly what to do with us?"
The Machinesmith stared into Marlowe's eyes and, for a moment, Jacob thought he saw true emotion there. "We need protection from those who would destroy us and our dreams... Yurgovia is increasingly threatened by the Russians, who see it as a rogue state. They are threatening force."
"Sounds like you need the United Nations then, not the 'Cats...."
"As you will no doubt find out from your teammates when they return, Mr. Marlowe... the Russian government has been infiltrated by the Daemonites."
Jacob's face fell. If that was true, then they'd have access to so much technology and weaponry. Even with the fallen Russian economy in chaos, they'd be a threat to the entire globe. "How high have they gotten?"
"As high as the president of the Russian Federation."
"Khera save us," Jacob murmured. "And you want us to take out the Daemonites?"
Machinesmith smiled. "You are interested, then?"
Lord Emp hesitated. "I'm interested... but I'm not committing until
the gang's all here and we've looked into this. For all I know, you're
playing me for a fool. But... yeah, if this is on the up and up, the WildCATS
are in."
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From the Befuddled Mind of Jodi Slayton, aka Jet
Dear Diary,
Today we shrunk down to subatomic size and entered this funky other-dimensional realm called the Microverse, all in search of a former member of the WildCATS named Warblade ('member the guy with the funky claws for hands? that's him), who's being tortured by some Darth Vader-wannabe called Baron Karza.
This is soooooo cool!
I mean, the whole reason I left San Francisco was because I was ready to take the next step and become a better superheroine. And that meant joining an established hero group who could help me evolve as a person and as a meta. Because life is about growth and change, about pushing your limits and --
"Jodi?"
Jet glanced behind her, seeing her friend Harper's worried expression. "What?"
"Shut up. That whole diary thing is stupid. And it's gonna get us killed."
Jet shrugged, thumbing off the microphone she held in her hand. "I'm just trying to prepare for the day when they run a Behind the Spandex: The Jet Story on me." Smiling, she leaned out from the alleyway. The group had materialized on Homeworld, the newly rebuilt seat of power for the undying Baron Karza. Jodi wasn't an expert on these things, but she'd studied the files before leaving HQ -- Karza had been a scientist who had stumbled upon a means for immortality. He would harvest body parts and organs from the old, the criminal and the unlucky -- passing them on to more important people (like himself) as a means of extending life.
Now, Jet and Jezebelle were hiding while Zealot and Manhunter ran reconnaissance. "Do you see anything?" Harper asked.
"Nah. Some guards went 'round the corner a few minutes ago and one of those flying guys passed us by... but nothing new."
"I think you might be a little wrong about that...."
Jet frowned. "What do you mean? I've been keeping an eye out for -- Oh." Jodi glanced up, following Jezebelle's gaze. Four armored men with mechanical wings hovered above them, guns aimed at them.
"You have violated the sanctity of Homeworld's security. Surrender now and you will be unharmed."
Jet glanced at her friend. "What do you think? Should we give up?"
Harper grinned. "Are you kidding? I've been waiting for a chance to cut loose since I joined this group." Jezebelle crouched low, her hands glowing with eldritch energy. The beam of force shot outwards, striking the first of the guards and sending him flying.
Jet, meanwhile, leaped and rolled at superhuman speed, dodging a series of energy blasts from the men above. They were shooting to kill, but using weapons designed to leave her body and its precious organs intact. Jet reached onto her waist and retracted several shuriken, which she hurled with deadly efficiency. One of them lodged in the chest plate of one of the guards, causing him to struggle frantically to remove it as sparks began to fly. He failed, exploding in a shower of debris.
The remaining two guards turned tail and began to fly away, but Harper was having none of that. "Sorry, boys. Can't have you giving us away. Man, I hope I remember how to do this one right...." Concentrating, Jezebelle summoned forth a mystic aperture in front of the guards, who were unable to halt their flight in time. Both zoomed through the rift, which closed behind them. "Whoo-Hoo! I did it!"
Jet gave her girlfriend a high-five, doing a little dance of joy. "We bad!"
"No, you're idiots." Manhunter looked down at them from the rooftop, Zealot standing behind them. "We ask you to keep quiet and what do you do? Take out four guards and make enough noise to wake the dead."
Zealot stepped past him, jumping to the ground. She landed smoothly and noted the disappointed stares on the girls' faces. "We have found Reno. He is being held in a laboratory building to the south of here. It is well-protected, but it is obvious that they do not expect anyone to break in." Pausing, she lowered her voice and leaned forward. "Nice work, both of you. But you have to learn to do your actions in silence, understand?"
Harper nodded as Zealot turned away to greet Manhunter as he dropped down. "I understand that you're both dweebs," she muttered.
Jet touched her arm. "Let it go, Harper. Can't you see what they're doing?"
"Yeah, I see it. They're being asses and --"
"They're playing Good Cop/Bad Cop."
Harper blinked.
Jet grinned. "C'mon, it's obvious. Manhunter jumps down your throat at practice and now he chastises us for kicking alien booty. And Z. steps in, all supportive and stuff. It's textbook superhero training methods."
Jezebelle shook her head. "Jodi... You're either cool as hell, or the biggest dope on the planet."
"Bet you know which one's the right answer, huh?"
Harper nodded, with a look of sadness on her face.
She patted Jodi on the arm. "I sure do, pal. I sure do."
Solution Camp # 5, Russia
Mayhem had broken out at the secret military installation. 14.6 seconds ago, Spartan had fired a bio-blast into the main barracks housing the Rocket Reds and their overseer, the Crimson Dynamo. 9.5 seconds ago, Void had materialized in the center of the largest prison building, using her incredible powers to search for the man who'd fathered her. 3.3 seconds ago, Voodoo had seen the first of the Daemonite-possessed Rocket Reds take to the air as sirens began to blare.
The WildCATS, though half a world away from their mentor, Jacob Marlowe, were firing the first blasts in a war that Machinesmith and Marlowe had only discussed in hypothetical terms.
Inside the prison building, Adrianna Tereshkova felt herself suddenly wishing she were as cold and analytical as she used to be. Surrounding her were a motley collection of mutants, metahumans and their related kinsmen. Many of them bore scars both physical and emotional, their thin bodies covered only by ragged clothing. She recognized only a few of these people -- most of the more famous Russian heroes like Red Guardian, Darkstar and Ursa Major must have either been assimilated by the Daemonites or willing to work with them, knowingly or unknowingly.
Forcing herself to remain calm, she projected her voice over the throng's mutterings, drawing their attention away from the sounds of battle outside. In Russian, she said "<I am seeking Petrov Tereshkova. Is he here?>"
A thin woman with leopard spots stared up at the floating figure of Void. "<I knew Petrov....>"
Adrianna felt her heart skip a beat. Knew...? She drifted downwards, projecting a force field that shunted aside everyone but the woman who had spoken up. "<Where is he?>"
Frightened, the leopard woman stepped back. "<They took him away for metagene testing.>"
"<But my fath-- but he had no powers.>"
The woman shrugged, a look of benign acceptance in her eyes. "<They do not care. They test, regardless. My brother was killed when they tried to activate his metagene -- they subject them to horrible ordeal after horrible ordeal, hoping to simulate the type of dangerous situation that usually activates someone's powers.>"
Adrianna's eyes became hard and cold. "<Where did they take him? Answer me and I swear I'll free you....>"
"<They took him to Testing Center Delta. It's located at the edge of camp, large building with the sigil on it. You know the one?>"
Adrianna nodded. She'd noticed the Daemonite symbol upon entering the
camp... it was their word for "Death House."
Homeworld, the Microverse
Zealot withdrew her blade with a wet plop, letting the now lifeless guard fall to the ground. Manhunter and the others had already moved inside the lab, but the Coda warrior remained outside for a moment longer, studying her surroundings. This world, filled with fear and loathing, was disgusting to her. In her heart of hearts, she saw this mad society based on warfare and power as being not unlike that desired by the Coda Sisterhood on Earth... a sisterhood that she herself had helped found, with the best of intentions. When I return to Earth, I will deal with the lingering cancer that is the Coda.
And Cole.
That last thought made her frown. Cole Cash. After all this time, he still haunted her. He was a fool, a braggart and a pig.
And she missed him.
Snarling, she turned and strode inside.
Jet scampered past Manhunter and Jezebelle, searching the area ahead at an incredible pace. She hopped about like a bug, displaying incredible athleticism. With a final jump, she stopped outside an armored door marked "Authorized Personnel Only." She waited for the others to arrive, moving from foot to foot in her nervousness. The one downside to having enhanced speed and reflexes was having to wait on the rest of the world to catch up....
When she saw Manhunter round the corner, she hurriedly waved a hand. "This is it, guys!" she hissed. "I peeked inside -- three lab techs, that's all."
Zealot moved to the front, alongside Jet. "And Reno?"
"I think I saw him... He didn't look quite right, though."
Zealot nodded, cracking open the door a bit. She saw the lab technicians, including someone who was obviously the lead scientist, inside. They were staring up into a tank filled with a silvery goo that twitched in time to electric current flowing through it. "It's him. They've damaged him somehow, reverted him to his bio-molecular state." She hefted her blade. "Kill them quickly."
"Whoa," Jet said, holding Zealot's arm. "I don't kill."
Zealot's eyes widened. "And what was it you did to the guards back in the alleyway?"
"That was different. I threw a shuriken and he blew up -- accidentally. I'm not gonna lose sleep over that but I'm not gonna go running into battle, lopping people's heads off either."
"Then stay outside." Zealot pulled her arm free and stepped inside. The first lab tech turned in surprise and was met by a sword to his throat.
Harper glanced at Jodi, who was shaking her head in horror. "So she's
the good cop, right?"
Solution Camp # 5, Russia
The security fences were down and the Rocket Reds had wisely retreated before a small army of suddenly freed metahumans, all of whom wanted freedom -- and revenge -- very badly. Smoke filled the air as various fires began to burn out of control and the sounds of energy blasts and gunfire rang out through the air.
In the midst of this, Spartan found his love. "Pris... Are you okay?"
The exotic young woman known as Voodoo nodded, smiling a bit as prisoners jostled past her. "I'm fine, Hadrian. Really." She reached up and touched a section of his face where the metal beneath had been exposed. "What happened?"
"The Crimson Dynamo. How many Daemonites have you seen?"
"Too many to count... I think their plan is to identify the people with powers and then either convert them to their own use or use them as host bodies."
"We'll have to let Jacob know when we return to Halo. This is very bad, Pris. Very bad."
Pris sighed. "I know -- and I'm not sure how well Adrianna is handling all this. The transformation, the search for her father... and the way she feels, or doesn't feel, I suppose. She's like a blank slate when I try to scan her and --"
"I found him."
The cold, emotionless feature in Adrianna's voice sent a chill down Voodoo's spine. She sounded almost like the old Void... Looking up, both Hadrian and Pris saw Void hovering above, holding a body bag in her arms. A pale, lifeless hand dangled from beneath it.
Hadrian squeezed Voodoo's hand and stepped towards Adrianna. "You have our sympathies. We should go now -- we can take your father's body for burial and--"
"No." Void's simple declaration halted the android in his tracks. "Growing up, my father did his best to care for me and my sister. I disappointed him in so many ways, my friends. But I lived up to his one great dream -- that I go into space and become a hero. Now I find that even when I did that, when I gave him his life's dream for me, I still cost him so much. I cost him his life and his dignity. And now an alien race inhabits members of my people's government... and treat so many of my countrymen like cattle. I must make my father proud." A single tear, silver in color, slid down her cheek.
Voodoo moved forward quickly. She didn't need telepathy to see where this was going -- and she wanted to stop it. "Adrianna, this won't bring him back!"
Void's eyes twinkled. "Perhaps not. But it's another part of me reclaiming my soul, Priscilla. Be well."
Light enveloped both Spartan and Voodoo, swallowing them up and depositing them back in the Halo Building's main meeting room.
Hadrian looked around, blinking. "Monitors -- Access Spartan-1."
At the android's words, several monitor screen flared to life. Most of them were tuned to various news channels and all of them were reporting in great detail of some sort of military confrontation going on in Russia. Pris stepped up to him, touching his arm. "What do you think she'll do?"
"Take the innocents to safety... and blow the camp to bits."
"And do you think she'll come back here afterwards?"
Spartan started to speak, but held his words back. In truth, he didn't expect Void to be back.
Perhaps not ever.
Homeworld, the Microverse
Manhunter examined the clear tube that restrained the liquid form of Warblade. "This material's tough. I don't think our blades will do anything to it, Zealot." He glanced at Jezebelle. "Harper, can you do something here?"
The young battlemage stepped forward, trying to ignore the smells of blood and chemicals that hung in the air. "I think so. I could teleport him straight out of there or I could--"
"You could act wisely and do nothing, girl."
All four of the 'Cats stared at the source of the voice -- a tiny speck of liquid metal that rose up from the ground and solidified into a living nightmare. Tall and cloaked in black armor, he was the vision of nihilism itself.
Baron Karza, reborn again and again from a variety of hells.
Manhunter and Zealot stepped in front of the girls. Kirk glanced over his shoulder at Harper. "Get busy with your spell, understand me?"
Nodding, Harper turned back to the tube, trying to summon the mystic forces within her.
Karza placed his hands behind his back and tilted his head to the side. "Did you think I would not be prepared for your arrival? I have studied your friend at length since we kidnapped him on an excursion to your world... I know of your powers and abilities."
"Knowledge is useless without the skill to apply it." Zealot murmured. She slashed forward, her sword suddenly blocked by Karza's arm, which morphed into a scythe.
"Very much true. But as you can see, I have applied our studies of Reno Bryce to my own body. I am now his equal -- and that makes me far superior to you!" The armored dictator sprouted spikes over his entire torso, rushing forward to grab Zealot in a bear hug. Blood spurted from a dozen or more wounds before Manhunter could stab Karza in the back with a bundi dagger.
Karza whipped around at superhuman speed, slamming a spiked fist into Manhunter's chin. The blow sent him flying into Jet, knocking them both to the ground.
Moving away from the fallen Coda, Karza allowed himself the luxury of a small chuckle. He had allowed Bryce to send his pitiful cry for help to the WildCATS, secure in the knowledge that he would be unstoppable before them. Once these heroes had been studied at length, Karza could renew his war of conquest to replenish the body banks... and crush the Micronauts once and for all.
The Baron turned to face Jezebelle, who stood with her back against Bryce's tank. "And so it comes down to you. The little witch. Do you wish to beg for mercy?"
Harper smiled knowingly, making Karza pause. "I know something you don't know." she said, in a sing-song voice.
"What game are you playing....?"
Jezebelle stepped to the side, revealing the tank.... which was empty.
"No games, Baron. This is for keeps." Reno Bryce, Warblade, stepped out of the shadows. His right hand was elongated into five sharp blades. "Say your prayers, bastard, 'cause I'm about to carve that tin can of yours to pieces...."
TO BE CONTINUED
Next Issue: "Ghosts of the Past" wraps
up as Warblade and Baron Karza go one-on-one! Plus: Jacob, Spartan and
Voodoo must deal with the shocking departure of Void. And an old foe long
thought dead returns... Be here for "The Road to Mandalay"
AUTHOR'S NOTES
This issue was a bit more action-packed than some, but I promise a return to more character-based pieces in the future. Next issue wraps up this storyline and sets us up for the next few months' worth of stories. What's down the road for the 'Cats? Here's a sneaky peek:
Jet goes on a date.
Jezebelle gains an interesting new mentor, one who will strike the fancy of many an old-school comics fan.
Some new, non-Daemonite threats.
WildD.O.G.S -- I kid you not.
Zealot will come face-to-face with a certain man from her past... could it be, the Grifter? Hmm.... Could be!
Void's story will continue, playing out across the whole of the Omniverse! Stay tuned -- it's only going to get stranger, I promise.
Barry
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