GZ Legends 15: A Living Storm

Prof. Zombie

In another location of the city, underground, a fat man drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. His thick and obese stature belied the power that surged in his body from cyborg implants. One hand’s grasp from him could shatter a bowling ball.  His thick white mustache and beard connected to the halo of white hair. Some would say it only made him appear more ominous. Professor Zombie took chiding from no common man and few were capable of more cruelty to any who opposed them. Human enemies of the Professor often became his undead servants. 

For years, he built an army underground of missing persons and society’s rejects. Some were missed but never found, cursed as cold cases. The rest were street people who would leave no trace. He developed armoring for them and even programmed them for exactly what he wanted them to do. As if that weren’t enough, he teamed up with the Raven and they combined cybernetic genius to make them even stronger and faster.  These certainly weren’t your run of the mill movie zombies. A screen in front of the Professor blinked to life and revealed the face of the man in the top hat.

            “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long,” the face on the screen smiled.

            “I am not a man of patience, Mr. Knight. I don’t care for being trifled with.”

            The smile vanished to a cold glare, “You work for me, Professor, and you’ll apply patience where I tell you. It’s time to wreak absolute havoc in the city of New York. Have your creations storm the streets and force every person into buildings to hide for their lives. Do not pursue them there, but instead, kill anyone who comes out and destroy everything else; cars, trucks, newsstands, and even the wayward baby carriage, understand?”

The Professor nodded, “The authorities have started to attack all the points weapons were placed in, just as you said.”

            “And it won’t help them at all.”

            “I still don’t understand what you are after, Knight.”

            “You don’t have to. Just know that the results will bring you power, and power is what you want isn’t it?”

            Professor Zombie nodded, “And what next? I understood you have other things to set loose on the Earth?”

            “Oh yes, that I do. Let’s just say, there’s a storm coming.” And the monitor blacked out.

* * *

Cyclone

Across the darkened seas a new stranger struggled to his feet and held his head in agony. He had blue skin, angular ears and glowing yellow eyes. To look at him was like seeing through him to the image of a swirling hurricane. Those eyes glowed like twin stars and his hands held the power to sculpt mountains.

 He had crashed to the surface of the Earth days ago and only just recently regained consciousness. Confusion gripped him for he knew he’d been to this place before. Still he felt the gnawing urge to do his job, to set evolutionary cycles into place. He held out his hands to the surging ocean before him and it responded with leaping waves. Lightning flashed and wind roared. Thunder bellowed from all around. The sea churned and spun as a great hurricane formed. In the side of the wind and water raging wall of this monstrosity a howling face formed and looked upon its creator. Cyclone gestured for his creation to go and the face vanished into the maelstrom. The storm went on the move, neither it nor its creator knowing that life already existed on this planet. 

* * *

            Larry, the man known as Blacktide, groaned and rolled onto an elbow to prop himself.  First glance around told him he lay on a rooftop somewhere. Then his gaze fell upon Nyhtwulf crouching on the corner ledge, staring back at him. Instinctively he half scrambled backwards to move away.

            “Please don’t be alarmed. I mean you no harm. As you can see I have healed you from Railroad’s assault.”

            Blacktide grasped at one side of his head, “Ah no, not a telepath, I hate telepathy!”

            “I’m sorry, it’s the only way I can communicate with you right now. Something happened to me on my way here. An illusionary spell has been cast on me. I’m very sorry but I need your help.”

            “Why? Can’t you just talk into anyone’s head?”

            “No. My telepathy only works through bonding with another being.”

            “What? Bonding? What the hell did you do to me?”

            “Please, it is only a psychic bond, and I can undo it at a later time, but I need you, Larry Peters.”

            “Oh, man, you just don’t know how much I am hating on this idea right now.”

            “Actually, yes I do.”

            “Don’t get funny with me,” Blacktide stood up and paced the rooftop, fists clenched.

            “I do not expect you to do this with me without some compensation.”

            “Oh really? And what are you going to do for me? What could possibly match up to invading my head?”

            “Control, Larry Peters, control. I will help you gain the control you have sought so long for your powers. And the nightmares, those will stop.”

            “You can do that?”

            “Yes, just help me with my mission. I will help you with yours.”

            “And just what is your mission?”

            Nyhtwulf explained the danger of Cyclone and how he must be stopped before the loss of much human life.

            “Do you know what has caused this guy to lose it?”

            “Whoever cast this illusion on me is my first guess, but I don’t know who that is.”

            “And just what is this illusion? Are you saying you don’t look like a winged wolf-man?”

            Nyhtwulf laughed, “This is how I really look. The illusion makes me look like I’m attacking when I am not. It makes it so I cannot speak your language, for now.”

Blacktide and Nyhtwulf

            “Okay, well did this Cyclone guy cause the blackout?”

            “This is not of his power, but it does seem like the two could be connected.”

            “So how do we find him? Just wait for one of his storms to come along?”

            “I sense you know one who may be able to help us find him; an elemental.”

            “Hey, yeah I do. We should go to the office and call everyone together. But when this is done, no more psychic intrusion right?”

            “You have my word.”

            With severe apprehension, Larry let Nyhtwulf fly him back to the ground by his motorcycle.

            “What about Railroad? What did you do to him?”

            “He will be alright. I can scramble life force and brain waves by passing through any living thing, except for plants.”

            “Are you telling me you scrambled his brains?”

            “Temporarily.”

            “Alright, well, anyway, thanks for healing me. I can’t say I’ve ever been worked over like that.”

            Nyhtwulf nodded his lupine head, “You are welcome.”

            “Well, you have some power.” He started his bike up and put it into gear. “Follow me, okay?”

            They attracted some attention as Nyhtwulf hovered not far from his new partner as they drove and flew down the streets of New York. At a stop light, Blacktide noted a beeping from his phone and pulled it out. He listened to the urgent SOS and looked up at Nyhtwulf.

            “We have to go, you’re healing powers are needed. Keep up with me.”

            He tore across the city streets and through traffic. He took back alleyways and went between cars and trucks. He pushed to answer the call for help with all possible speed.