by agent57, Smasher, Gooz and VIPER
The forest is not adequate hiding cover, however. Skizm manages to sniff the heroes out. Skizm dives toward Gooz. Still not quite right from his imprisonment, he runs into the corner.
Gooz: "How the hell did he get out of his chains?!"
Agent F7: "I don't know! Hey, where's Zed and Smasher?"
Meanwhile, outside the cave:
Zed: "He's taking a long time."
Smasher: "Do you think we should go in again?"
Zed: "Well, he did say look out for trouble out here while he undid the chains."
Smasher: "I dunno. Maybe there was something in there we didn't see before."
Agent F7 is thrown into a wall of the cave. The old soldier gets up, battle-weary, hoping that this would end quickly. It seems to Agent F7 that it has been one battle after another recently, and that the team never has a moment's breathing space. Of course, his internal monologue soon comes to an end when the hulking monster comes and knocks him unconscious.
Gooz: "Damn!"
Zed: "Okay, either he's the worst lock pick in the world, or he needs our help!"
Smasher: "Okay, let's go! MBL assemble!"
Zed: "We are assembled. We're standing next to each other."
Smasher: "All right, then! Just trying to get into the feeling."
Zed: "Okay. Try another one."
Smasher: "MBL forever!"
Zed: "Lame. You should write Batman sequels."
Smasher: "Grrrr. Let's go!"
Suddenly, Warlord and Pestilence appear in front of them through a portal.
Warlord: "Going somewhere?"
Zed: "Oh, good."
Inside, Gooz is lurched over Agent F7, trying to wake him up. Skizm is close, licking his lips in anticipation of his meal. "Wake up! Wake up! Big slobbery monster thing coming this way! Hungry! Come on, man, we don't want to die! At least, I don't want to. I've died at least twice recently."
Warlord and Pestilence are standing before Zed and Smasher. The Warlord smiles and lifts his right hand into the air. Lightning zaps through his arm, and a long, pointed red rod materializes in his hand. He points the rod at Zed.
"YOU ARE MINE. PESTILENCE, YOU TAKE CARE OF THE WIMPY MORTAL. I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE ONE KNOWN AS ZED!" says Warlord.
Pestilence growls.
"Long rods made for thin air. I can top that!" says Zed. As he finishes, a blue rod materializes in his hand. "Blue is a much more manly color than red! Reds for girls."
Warlord grins and lunges at Zed with the rod.
Smasher takes small steps backward and away from Pestilence, a large beast with veins ripping out of his body in many places. His color is green with sickness as he walks toward Smasher.
Gooz quickly tries to wake Agent F7, who is passed out on the ground. The Skizm gets closer toward them, his shadow covering Gooz, whose costume is ripped up, leaving him maskless.
"I don't know what the fuck you are, but back the hell up," says Gooz.
Gooz pushes Agent F7 a little, and he is still in Lala Land. The Skizm moves closer.
"That's it. It's time to open a can of whupass on you." Gooz points his arm at the Skizm and turns his head... but nothing.
"My powers! It's like someone stole them. Oh shit!"
Elsewhere:
In the shadows, in the places that are covered by darkness, in one's fears at night... there has always been one constant, one man that all fear... a powerful being, one who feeds off of the shadows, off of the energy of others. This man has looked death in the eye and has laughed in its face. He wanders the cool darkness of the streets with nowhere to go. He is... Viper.
Maybe someday he will return to finish the MBL off. Or maybe not. Only time will tell where he goes.