by GoozX
A few hours have passed since the group caught up to the circus on its way from Chicago to Thunder City. Tobias Christopher, still at the wheel of their van and bored, turned on the radio.
"...Imagine there's no Heaven... it's easy if you try..."
Tobias smiled. "Gotta love the Lennon," he muttered.
M'xy was in the back, still recovering from transporting everyone such a long distance. Nearby were Danny Hearn and Nowhereman, playing a game of poker.
"So, does it hurt when you morph?" asked Nowhereman.
"You have no idea," said Danny. "Hurts like hell, but I guess that's my price to pay, you know?"
"Yeah. I've lost a lot myself over my many years."
"Um, Yeah, sure." I'll bet you have, Danny thought.
"Next time you morph, try a few of these." Nowhereman rolled a small pill container toward Danny, who picked it up.
"What are these?" Danny said, inspecting the bottle. "Some sorta pain-negating specially made pills or something?"
"Yeah. Ultra-Strength Tylenol."
"Oh?"
Edulcore Cicciotto, the Eurostar, had been all but silent for the ride, looking at a picture of a small child. Naecken had also been more or less silent, confused and scared, not that anyone would notice from his cold expression and totally dark features. Li'l Jo, Tobias' cat and the team's unofficial mascot, slept peacefully at Eurostar's feet.
"...No hell below us... above us only sky..."
Tobias smiled. Finally some peace and quiet for a change.
"...Imagine all the people... living for today..."
SMASH!
Tobias' eyes widened as the windshield shattered. With great speed he swung his arms in front of his face, fragments of glass ripping into his skin, shedding blood. Everyone suddenly turned as Tobias swung the wheel to avoid hitting any other circus vans and buses. In a fraction of a second, the van crashed onto its side and slid off the road into a grassy ditch.
"...You may say that I'm a dreamer..."
Smoke filled the air as Eurostar got to his feet. "Is everyone okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay." M'xy was the first to answer.
"Yes," came coldly from Naecken.
"Fuck," was the only thing Danny said, holding his side in pain. "I think I broke a rib or something. What happened?"
"We must be under attack or something!" Nowhereman jumped to his feet. "Is it the IBG? Or Viper?"
"Tobias? You okay?" Eurostar asked as he moved toward his teammate. Tobias was bloody and bruised up. Glass was deep in his arm and chest. "Shit, guys, Tobias is hurt -- looks bad."
Nowhereman made his way to the front. "We have to be careful when we remove him. We don't want to make his injuries any worse!"
Eurostar turned white as a huge tree fell straight for the van. "EVERYONE OUT!" he yelled before touching Nowhereman with one hand and Tobias with the other, turning them intangible. The tree crushed the van as Eurostar levitated all three through the huge tree and toward the grassy ditch, where the others were able to escape. Smoke still filled the air as Eurostar heard a struggle begin.
Red energy hit a surprised and off-guard Naecken straight between the eyes, knocking him across the ditch and halfway through the tree. M'xy had no chance, still weak from earlier on. "Shit!" was the only thing he was able to say as hundreds of volts were sent through his body, also taking him out.
Danny looked around, his rib still very much in pain. He looked at the pills that Nowhereman gave him and downed a few. "Rhino horn." After a short pause, a horn ripped through his forehead. "AGGRRRRRHHHH," he screamed, the pain almost taking him off his feet. He charged at the stranger but was stopped dead in his tracks by what seemed like a solid wall. The horn hit the wall, the impact almost breaking the young man's neck. A fist lifted him by the neck and crushed him into the soil below. The horn slowly sank back into his head as he was out cold.
"Told you so, mate," Nowhereman said as he lunged at the figure coming out of the shadows.
"Wait... we have to work as a team. NO!" Eurostar yelled at the rebellious vigilante.
Nowhereman was able to quickly dodge some attacks and even countered with a few of his own. Only they had no effect. The man grabbed his head and squeezed. Nowhereman held the pain back and punched the man across the face. He laughed and backhanded the hero. As the hero hit the ground, the man kicked him in the ribs, flipping him onto his back. The man's hand crackled with energy as he lifted it high into the air. As he came down, Eurostar hit him with an energy blast, knocking him back a few steps.
"Cicciotto? There you are, traitor!"
Eurostar said, "Turner?" as he turned into ghost form, letting shock waves of energy safely pass through him.
"You worked with them -- Malvan-X -- you metagene freak!"
Eurostar held himself intangible as more and more energy flowed through his ghost body. He began to shake at the stress of it, and his teeth gritted together, beginning to crack.
"You want to play in the big leagues? You have a lot to learn, boy."
Turner poured on the energy and turned his head toward Tobias. As Turner moved the direction of his blast, Eurostar, screaming, "NOOOOO!" let his body turn tangible once again, taking the full blunt of the blast. He hit the ground, his body smoking.
Turner looked around, a smile forming on his face. "One more loose end... Chicago... Dr.Walker..."
In a bright flash, he was gone.
Nowhereman attempted to get to his feet but couldn't. He looked around. Everyone was down, hurt and maybe worse.
From the road above finally came other members of the circus. "The accident looks really bad!"
"A tree fell?"
"Lightning! I saw lightning!"
"Any survivors?"
"Crap, they are a great act..."
"Next show is sold out!"
"...I hope someday you'll join us... and the world will live as one..."