by The Eurostar
High above the Mandelovian Harbor, the heart-shaped bay around which the city of Mandelovia was founded, stood, rising from a steep promontory, a powerful fortress called Mandelov Palace. The residence of the President-Prime Minister in other times, now in these days of war for the small but advanced country it was the base of operations of the dictator of Mandelovia, General Colton D'goon.
Dressed in a complex uniform, decorated by dozens of medals, D'goon sat behind his desk. In front of him stood a tall, bearded man, wearing a simple, all-black suit. At the end of his right arm, a brass hook replaced his hand.
"Well, Colonel Nemo? Have you got the fugitives?" D'goon asked the head of the Mandelovian Security and Intelligence Agency.
"Not yet. But the Mastiffs of War are on their trail, and our Elite Agents are closing over them. But..."
"The Elite? All twenty-six of them?"
"From A to Z. But I..."
"They are the best. You know I was once one of them, Nemo."
"I know, Your Serenity. But I formally request to discuss the targets of our chase. Although the footage of the massacre seems authentic, there are things that do not make sense, that do not line up with what has happened in the last few hours."
The dictator raised an eyebrow, then stood up from his chair and went to the tall, pointed arched window. Looking to the horizon, he asked, "What doesn't make sense?"
"Well..." the tall colonel seemed a little uncomfortable. He coughed and then continued, "Well, weeks ago, the destruction of Malvan-X Corporation was caused by a falling meteor. Although the U.S. at the time publicized some footage showing metahumans destroying Malvan-X properties all around the world, our satellite's recording proves that the meteor was displaced from its orbit by an American shuttle."
"Yes, we all know. One day America will pay for it. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day America will definitely pay."
"We also know that the meteor would have destroyed all of Mandelovia had it not been for the intervention of Cicciotto, who seemingly lost his life in the process. We have authentic footage proving it."
"Seemingly is the key word. Cicciotto didn't die then. He survived and then joined his comrades to commit a murderous spree across the city. That's what happened."
"But why? Why would he have saved the city and then killed so many citizens?"
"For the money. Some of Eurostar's friends robbed the National Bank the same evening, while others, himself included, were creating havoc in the city. Then they destroyed the circus, their base until that moment, because they knew we would track them there. Destroying the circus, they have erased all the clues we would have used on them. And now they are on the run. But we will capture them before they are able to cross the borders!"
"Your Serenity, I am not convinced. They all wear costumes. Anyone could have gone around wearing those costumes and killing..."
"Shut up! Don't you understand? They are not simply thieves and killers. They are agents of America! They want to destroy Mandelovia from the inside!" The face of D'goon was distorted and congested.
"Still..."
"Ah! Eurostar is one of them! Watch this!" Saying those words, D'goon pressed a button on his desk, and a giant plasma monitor appeared on the wall.
On the screen appeared the image of a hi-tech place, all white and glowing.
"The EPS headquarters, Chicago. Live broadcast," said D'goon, smiling.
"How could...?"
"We have a mole there."
On the screen appeared a figure. The camera zoomed on his face, older and haggard-looking. But without a doubt, it was really him: Edulcore Cicciotto, the Eurostar.
"How can he be there?"
"He has strange powers, Nemo. But his comrades are still here! So?"
"Sorry for having doubted it, Your Serenity. I will return with the Revolutionaries!"