GZ Legends 23: Doctor Vampire

            Not everyone appeared on the New York sidewalk and street standing up. Agent Redeagle and Atomizer picked themselves up with notable moaning and groaning for aching body parts. Even Electrode seemed to have a kink in his neck as he leaned against a wall.

            “I punched Death’s brother,” Anubis said, still in a state of wonderment.

            “His little brother,” Nyhtwulf said.

            “Oh that’s even better,” Anubis tossed his hands up.

            “Well, you heard him,” Nyhtwulf said, “You face no penalty and it could be worse. Just be glad you didn’t try to hit his Mother.”

            Anubis dropped his hands by his side now in sheer disbelief, “He has a Mother? Oh I have to know, who is that?”

            “Mother Nature.”

            “Of course it is.”

            “I do not understand why you are so surprised, you work for his Uncle.”

            Anubis shook his head, “And it just gets crazier and crazier doesn’t it?” Anubis looked around for his lance and saw it leaning against a car. He opened his hand and it flew to his grasp. In all the excitement and distraction, he didn’t notice he carried something new. No one did. On Anubis’s right hand was a golden ring with a red gem. I had slipped on his finger from out in the sands of the beach. Now it waited.

            “We need to get in there and find out what’s next,” Sandstorm said. “We still need to find Professor Zombie and finish business with him.”

            “You may not have time for that just yet,” came a voice with a Romanian accent from across the street. The man stood in a dark blue bodysuit with  the winged Caduceus medical symbol the left side of his chest. He had on dark glasses, strange for days without sun, and a long cape. The cape stood up around the collar like something from an old Dracula movie and almost made his short cropped black hair invisible.

            Everyone reacted instantly. Electrode charged up and lit the area while Anubis spun and aimed his lance. Everyone tensed and readied to deal with whoever this was. The man put up his hands gently waved the them slightly to try and show he meant no harm.

            “Please, I understand your stressful position, but I am not here to fight. If you would permit me to introduce myself?”

            “Alright guys, ease up,” Sandstorm said as he stepped out in front of the group towards the stranger. “Things have been nothing less than insane, so forgive us, Mister…?”

            “I am Doctor Vampire, an agent, not unlike yourselves. I need your help.”

            “Well, as you can see, Doctor, the whole world needs our help,” Electrode interrupted.

            “Yes it does,” Dr. Vampire agreed, “That’s why I am here. I am from the Galactic Museum where the most dangerous and exotic artifacts in the universe are kept. Recently, seven of the worst of them were stolen from the museum. We have good reason to believe they have been brought here.”

            “Just how bad are these artifacts? What can they do that we should detour from stopping a madman from destroying a city,” Agent Redeagle asked.

            “A city?” Dr. Vampire responded, “My friend, these artifacts, unchecked, will destroy the world. I believe that the person behind your current predicament is responsible. If I can come in and speak with all of you, I can explain further.”

            “I guess you better do that then,” Sandstorm said.

 *******

Jonathon "Stormy" Knight

            Far across the city, in his hidden lair, Professor Zombie watched as the man with the top hat appeared on the screen.

            “I have great news for you,” Stormy said.

            “That would be good about now, considering they’re likely to be here anytime,” the Professor grumbled.

            “Oh, they won’t be doing that for a while yet if at all. They’re going to be very busy. At that time, I am going to send you a signal and then you will have what I promised you.”

            “You promised I would rule New York.”

            “And you will. On my signal, you may do with New York whatever you desire,” Stormy smiled.

            “You know, you’ve gone some very strange ways about this, Mr. Knight.”

            “Some things, Professor, require a scale of ritual for the desired outcome. Right now it looks like I’m taking over the Earth. I will confide in you this much, I have no intention of doing that. So, on my signal, Professor, do take over New York with all the zeal you please.” The screen flickered out.

*******

Glowing to life

            In another location, far out in the Gulf of Mexico, the living hurricane had still unsettled the waters for hundreds of miles. Even without making it across Florida into the Gulf, the storm had long reach and shook sea beds in all directions. Deep in the waters of the Gulf, systems of high technology hummed to life. He had placed himself in stasis for so many years to avoid detection by his race. Now it seemed that there was activity abnormal to the area. What else could trigger his sensors? In a few seconds he knew it was more than just a stormy sea. He registered the field of darkness around the world and things beyond it. He registered that the people of this world suddenly had little way to communicate with each other. He easily scanned the surface world and registered the fires and discord. He had no idea that this world could become such a playground. It was time to wake up.