[LNH/ACRA] The Team #48

Previously: Doctor Killfile abducted his daughter Deliah Joy.   Boy
Redundant Lad and Girl Redundant Lass fought him and were trounced. 
Several LNHers showed up as well.



        Her father taught her one thing.   Love conquers all is bullshit.  
Strength only comes through pain and suffering.  What did he know?  
He was Doctor Killfile.    Compared to her, what had he gone through? 
 Compared to her, how strong could he be?

        Not very.  Sure, he had chained her to the top of the Nanoengine.   
That was a given.   He had snuck up on her.    He was nothing more
than a slimy worm.     She was truly strong.

        "Good God Killfile, stop!" yelled Stomper.
        "The trash dies, you get your city back.  It is a
Win/Win situation," Killfile said.      
        "Killfile, think.  You're a brilliant man.   You were a good man...
once.   Be that man again," Stomper continued.
        "It is a far, far, better thing that I do..." Killfile responded.
        "Better?  You're going to kill your own child and you're acting like
this is a good thing," Stomper replied.
        "I know what you're thinking Vincent.    You think I have always had
a flare for the dramatic.    You know the story of Abraham and Isaac?"
        "If I remember, that was God testing Abraham," Stomper replied.
        "I stopped listening to God a long time ago.    I'm ruled by fact,
not faith.   Her death improves the welfare of millions.   Isn't that
worth killing for?" Killfile replied.

        The nanoengine sprung to life.    The injectors began to pry into her
flesh.     Her left arm was in the agony.   It was slowly reweaved on
the molecular level from flesh to gelatinous circuitry.

        "Oh blessed pain.   Oh blessed strength," she said.

        She didn't know how she did it, but she somehow snapped the chains.  
  She twisted her arm around till the gelatinous circuits snapped. 
Her arm bled profusely, but then began to glow.    As she descended to
the ground, she released an energy blast that cauterized her wounds. 
She threw another blast into the controls of the nanoengine.

        <Severe Damage.  Planetary defense grid activated.>  
        "That doesn't sound good," Onion Lad whined.

        The ground shook.   A large metal tower launched out of the ground.  
 Everyone, even Doctor Killfile, looked surprised.     Vel looked
slightly perturbed.   He knew what it was.    He did not like it. 
Especially, when mere seconds later a large plasma beam belched into
space.

                The Team #48
                The Lazarus Imperative part two
                His Daughter's Father
                By Jesse N. Willey

        The Enobi ship hovered just outside the Earth's orbit.    The ship
was low on fuel.   The crew of five hundred Enobi had next to no food
or supplies remaining.    On the ship's bridge, the emergency lights
were blinking.
   

        "Attention nations of Earth.   This is Enobi ship Preserver Five.   
My crew and I have come to your planet, seeking asylum.   An Earthling
named Andrew Weinstein recently set up a cataclysmic chain reaction in
our star, which will destroy it by the end of this century.    We wish
a mere hundred square miles of land to inhabit.   We will adhere to
the law of the said areas governing body, and involve in trade of
technology that will not significantly alter your native cul..." the
captain said.

        The energy beam struck the ship.   It rocked the already barely space
worthy vessel.    The shields began to crack.  The hull began to
buckle.    The pilot screamed as his panel exploded.

        "Computer, emergency transport of the full crew! 
Now!" 

                ************
        
        The ground exploded beneath the LNHer's feet.  Stomper was knocked
unconscious.  Killfile stood triumphant.  He turned and grabbed Sing
Along Lass by the neck with one hand.   Somehow he managed to do so
without cutting off her air supply.  Vel cursed.

        "Let her go," Vel screamed.
        "Ah!   The clichés of Dorfian honor.   I've forgotten how much I
missed them.   Do you know who I am, Halfling?"  Killfile asked.
        "An arrogant pissant?"
        "So... you inherited human cockiness as well.   A shame.   You had such
promise when you were a boy.  Your mother had such dreams for you as a
child, Vel," Killfile replied.
        
        Fred stood behind Onion Lad, carving pieces of the boy's skin with
his Swiss army Knife.

        "Ow!  Why are you doing that?" Onion Lad replied.
        "You'll see," Fred said.
        "What are you talking about?   You knew my mother?" Vel said to
Killfile.
        "Of course.  I fought along side the Dorfs on more than one occasion.
  Surely you remember those trips your mother would take?   She may
have been in Exile, but she was still a soldier.   One of the generals
of your clan," Killfile said.  "I killed her Warlord.  You do know
what that means don't you?  That makes her, and by extension you, my
property."
        "Never!" Vel yelled.

        Vel leapt forward.  Fred picked up Onion Lad.   Killfile slowly began
gripping Sing Along Lass's neck tighter.   Onion Lad began flying
through the air.   Killfile's eyes began turning red.  Water began to
flow from his eyes.    His arm began to quiver.  The ninety pound
makeshift tear gas bomb clobbered Killfile in the head.  He dropped
Sing Along Lass.
        
  
                ************

        
        Amelia stared up at the monitor board in disgust.   About a half an
hour ago, two of her friends were beaten to a bloody pulp by one of
the most powerful beings on the planet.    The moment she saw it, she
had sent a signal to the entire team.    Save for her brother, none of
them had arrived.    Sure, they were beginning to take the offensive
right now.   Who knew how long that would last?  It was time to call
in the cavalry.

        "Where are they?   We used to handle these in minutes back in the old
days," Mystery said.
        "These aren't old days, sis," Duplicator replied.
        "Yeah, the world needs us more.  All the more reason for speed," she
insisted.
        "Now you're beginning to sound like Rick," he replied.  "This team
has been kind of fractured since Angelica's brother died."
        "What about Knight?  Wasn't he with you?"
        "Waiting in his room.    He's stilling talking about jumping back to
his home reality," Duplicator replied.
        "Let me talk to him," she said.

                *************

        Angelica walked into Ellie's loft.   Ellie sat on the couch,
practically zoned.

        "So, he told you?" Angelica said.
        "Yeah," Ellie said.
        "Half-truths," Angelica replied.
        "What?"
        "The stuff about genetics was all true but..." Angelica said.
        "But what?   I fucked another species.   That's against the law,
isn't?" Ellie said.
        "Actually, I was going to say... it was all true, if
you were human," Angelica said.  "There's something Andy didn't tell
you.   You're a type L parahuman."
        "What?   This is just too much?  Are you telling me I could have
super powers?"
        "No."
        "You're contradicting yourself.  You just said I was
a parahuman," she replied.
        "The L in Type L is for latent.   You have no parahuman powers of
your own.   Your offspring will have an increased propensity for them.
  You also have the genetic capability with human beings, though your
natural pheromone projectors and receptors are wired for Parahumans,"
Angelica said.
        "Repeat that please... in English?" Ellie replied.
        "You don't have powers of your own.   Your kids probably will.   As
long as it's a bipedal terrestrial sentient humanoid you can reproduce
with it.  Your body emits pheromones that work at full strength on
parahumans, and you go equally nuts for their pheromones. Capice?"

                ***************

        Amelia walked into Guardian Knight's room.   It was a small and stark
room.    The map registered it as an old storage closet.    She
wondered why Knight chose to use such a small space.    There was no
bed or television.    Just a circle of lit candles.   Guardian Knight
was levitating.

        "Knight, what are you doing?" she asked.
        "Prepping to leave for my home dimension," he said coldly.
        "How can you do that?"
        "It is a simple matter of releasing a psychic emission.   My elders
on the other side will..." he replied.
        "That's not what I meant.   I mean how can you do that?  
  Don't you remember your mission?" she snapped.
        "To protect Richard Michael Henkerton and follow his instructions
without question," Knight said.
         "Protect him?   He's out there fighting Doctor Killfile," she said.
        "File that under NMP," he responded.
        "NMP?"
        "Not my problem," he explained.  "Rick ordered me to make my own
decisions.   His new instructions supersede my original mission.    I
choose to go home."
        "So that's how you thank the man who gave you freedom?   You sit back
and let him face certain death.   Ingrate," she screamed as she left.

        The doors swooshed open.  Starless, Duplicator, and Angelica were
waiting at the door.    They glared at Knight in contempt.   A portal
opened up in front of Guardian Knight.    The golem floated toward it
and vanished.

                **************

        The Enobi captain began gathering his men.    They appeared to be on
a grassy hill.  A huge marble obelisk stuck out of the ground.    Five
feet away from the poles with flags waving around them, human beings
had been waiting in line to enter the structure.  Upon spotting the
Enobi, they ran.

        "How many made it?" The Captain asked.
        "Less then thirty, sir," said his science officer.
        "Damn.   I hope the ships that went looking for other planets are
having better luck or we may be the last of the Enobi," he said. 
"Where are we anyway?"
        "The North American city known as the District of
Columbia," the science officer replied.   "Apparently, that is one of
their tourist attractions."
        "The District of Columbia?  Isn't that where the world super power's
capital is?" The Captain replied.
        "Yes sir.  How do you wish to proceed?"
        "First, we file with immigration," he said.   "Then we go to their
congress and demand reparations for genocide."

                ***************

        The LNHers got to their feet.   Killfile was not so quick to stand.  
Fred ran to check on the Redundants and Stomper.   They didn't look
like they would be walking anytime soon.     Killfile gleamed at
the receptionist.
        
        "Ow!" Onion Lad whined.
        "Clever, Frederick.  Very clever.   I'll kill you last," he laughed.
        
        A hyperspace corridor opened up.  Blasts from lightning gauntlets hit
the doctor in the jaw.  Killfile turned.   He knew who would be there.
 Weinstein's faltering spandex brigade.   Not too long
ago they would have been a challenge.  Andrew Weinstein had precisely
calculated The Team's every move.   He was a man whose mind rivaled,
if not surpassed, Killfile's own intellect.   Killfile would have
loved to face off with them then.    Now it seemed almost beneath him.
         
        "Finally, the local superhuman constabulary," Onion
Lad chimed in.

        
         Angelica blasted Killfile psionically.   Her nose began to bleed as
Killfile returned the blast with amplified fury.   Mystery blasted out
a toxic fog.    It didn't harm Killfile at all.  The Team slowly
emerged from the Vortex.

        "All right, let's make this good people," Mystery said.
        
        Duplicator leapt ahead of the others and annihilated the rock below
them.    A small area of ground collapsed.    Killfile merely laughed
it off.   With one energy blast, he scattered the whole team.

        "Well, that sure went swimmingly," Duplicator remarked.
        "Yeah," Angelica said as she wiped blood from her
face.  "If the plan was a suicide charge.   I almost wish Andy was..."
        "Don't even say it," Duplicator replied.   

        Starless and Mystery charged forward.   Starless fired another
lightning bolt from his Gauntlet.   Killfile deflected it.   Mystery,
Duplicator and Angelica went limp as the blast hit them.

        Deliah had been watching from behind the control panel for the
nanoengine the whole time.  It had come down to this.  She knew it
would.   She knew she was going to beat him.  Her one remaining fist
was glowing and crackling with energy.     She blasted him in the
crotch.

        "That hurt, Bitch!" he shouted as he fell back into one of the polls
of the nanoengine.
        "Appreciate the strength it shall give you, father," she shouted.

        Her still glowing fist landed a palm strike to the chest.   She heard
his ribs snap.   Killfile smiled.   Carolyn had always been the good
one.   The one he'd been proud of.   The one he had cared about from
afar.   The smart one who had shown weakeness.   He hated her.  He had
treated Deliah like filth.   He had beaten her.    Abused her in
unthinkable ways.  The one he had made strong.   The one who was now
slowly demolecularizing his upper abdomen. Looking into her eyes, he
thought he could see a twinkle.   Not of anger or vengeance, but of
caring.     She was returning the favor.   She was the one.

        "Deliah, my dear daughter, I love you," he whispered.
        "Love is bullshit," she said.

        Starless stood motionless as Deliah took a shot a Killfile.   His
steps were wobbly from the jolt of electricity.    At first the energy
blast seemed to do nothing.   It did not burn his flesh or melt the
surrounding pavement.    An instant later, Killfile's upper
extremities began to convulse.

        "What the hell did you do to him?"
        "I angled the shot through the hole I made in his chest.   I fried
many of his internal organs and melted his spinal column between the
third and fourth vertebrae," she said.
        "You killed him."
        "He will get better.   He is his daughter's father,"
she whispered.
        "You're under arrest for attempted murder," Nick said.
        "I think not."

        Deliah blasted Starless in the face.   The last standing hero fell to
the ground with a thud.  Deliah quickly ran off.

                **************** 

        Penumbra lay in a bed in the hospital.     She had been there for
years.   Every couple of months she would wake up, realize she was
paralyzed from the waist down, and decided to lapse back into a coma.
Today was one of those days.   Today she had a visitor.

        "Gah!    Who are you?" she said.
        "My name is Emil Doritron.  I was a friend of your father.    How
would you like to help me?" Doritron asked.
        "I've heard of you.   Small time super villain and big league mad
scientist.   How could I be of any help to you," she asked.    "when I
can't even walk to the bathroom on my own?"
        "Trust me, there are ways," he said.   


        To Be Continued...

        Next: Why the Hell Are We still doing this?

_______________________________________________________________________
Doctor Killfile, Fred and Doctor Stomper are public domain.  Sing
Along Lass created by Drizzt. Deliah Joy created by Tom Russell Junior
  Onion Lad created by Tom Russell Junior and Dane Martin.   Everyone
else created by Jesse N. Willey