Growing Dangers - part 2
by Bryan

Domain Temporary Base Of Operations, Planet Venus: "I see the first of our new line of Energy X created Foes of Freedom is a success. I'm quite pleased, Praetor." Lord Dominon, the ugly big grey headed leader of the Domain smiled. "Tell me about this man!"

"Lord Dominon! The evil one known as Malguard is the weakest of your brilliant children!" Praetor gleamed with the praise of his master. "And yet, as you can see, he was able to take out all of Freedom Force with only his superior mind! Once the rest of the canisters are delivered, Earth will be yours for the taking! This man's tale is so bland. Who'd have known that such a simple man would develope into a super powered tool of the Domain!

Orgin Of, Malguard:

Chad Harrick was very disenchanted with life at the moment. Being fired from his position as a mall security guard and being evicted from his apartment was beginning to take it's toll. At twenty his life was headed nowhere.

"Quiting school just to have fun isn't workin is it?" He thought to himself. His family wouldn't help him out any either, they had cut all ties with him after he stole his cousin's car, who had been kind enough to let him live at his place. Other problems at the apartment led to his eviction. Then stealing from the mall didn't help him keep his job there. He knew the police were looking for him.

He downed his last shot of vodka and left the bar. He had no intention of paying. One of the security men was chasing after him, but he didn't care to run any more. As the man closed him he wished he could just will him away with his mind. Suddenly a flash of purple light blinded him. He could sense everything around him. Then the man chasing him grabbed his arm. He wished the guy would just go away, and leave him alone. And that's just what happened. The bar bouncer just walked away. He didn't get it. Suddenly a figure appeared before him.

"You have been given a gift." The shadow-covered one said. "Join us, and you will get your revenege on all those that have made your life miserable."

Chad liked that idea. First, he'd destroy his old boss.

Patriot City Mall:

Liberty Lad struggled to open his eyes. His head stung from the impact he had suffered only an hour before. He saw Bullet, Law, and Minuteman standing over him. He could feel the bruises leaving his body as Law healed him.

"How are you doing, Liberty Lad?" Minuteman asked.

"Been better, just before he knocked me out, he controlled my mind and... Oh no!"

"What is it, Suga?" Alchemiss asked.

"My brother and sister! He attacked them!" Liberty Lad said getting up and running into the main area of the mall. Surprisingly, it took little damage. The store he saw them fly into was completely destroyed. The entire team stopped in their tracks horrified. They knew the impact must have been devestating. Only an energy X endowed individual would be able to survive. All hope seemed lost.

"Scanning... Sensors indicated two badly damaged organic entities...both entities functional." Microwave informed the team.

With that, Diablo, Minuteman, Man O War, and Liberty Lad went into the delapidated store. Shortly after the four emerged with the two badly hurt teenagers.

"Their injuries are great, yet, I sense they have been endowed with the powers of Energy X. We must return to base, make haste!" Mentor announced.

Liberty Lad didn't know what to think of this. Could his parents be fooled into thinking everytime some major emergency came up they just happened to be out and about? If they did have super powers, they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

Undisclosed Location, Underneath Patriot City:

Malguard waded through the slug of the city sewers. He was glad to be so effective agianst the meddeling Freedom Force, yet he had missed the revenge he seeked. At least they knew Malguard would destroy them . He reached the door to his new home. The door opened automattically and he stepped through. In the middle he saw three faces he knew and one face he'd yet to see, and one who's mind he could not read. He knew the one calling himself "Terror" was extremly powerful. He took his seat.

"Ah the new one has arrived. Yet did you know Freedom Force has been revived?" Deja Vu, a villian who could duplicate himself said with a smirk.

"Quite! Your rhyming poetry is beautiful!" Shadow, the beautiful hater of all things beautiful screamed.

"He knocked down flag face's ego a little! That's enough for me." The Russian known as Nuclear Winter chuckled happily.

"All of you, shut up." The man masked in shadow hissed. "This is only the begining. Soon Freedom Force will know the full might of our power."

"The boss makes sense, Deja Vu is going to enjoy this!"

"You promised me a revenge I have yet to see." Malguard said with great anger in his evil voice.

"Patience. In time you will have all you want." Terror said with a smile no one saw.

Patriot Terrace Apartment Complex:

Brandon Dierheart was happy to finally be home after a long day at work. One day, he'd be a famous horror writer. Until then though, he settled for a job as an assiatant to the big time Horror story publishers. Besides, it was a good way for him to get to know people. He couldn't wait to finish reading his favorite story. Bram Stroker was his all time favorite writer, and Dracula his favorite book. He sat down and started reading.

It must have been hours since he started reading. He didn't notice how dark it had gotten. He also didn't noticed how purple the lightning hurrdling towards his window was.

The second he turned the page the beam hit him. He felt immense pain. He got up from the chair, tried to walk to his bed but collapsed. His body was going through a transformation, one he'd read of only in horror tales. As his concisness fell, he felt fangs where his incisors had once been. And as he slept, deep inside he knew, he knew he was dying.

Sometime Later:

Blackbird soared above the darkened city. As much as she liked her teammates, she enjoyed solo patrols. There wasn't much activity in the city, which was highly unusual for the crime ridden city. She didn't complain though. Her head still throbbed from the earlier mall incident. She didn't feel like facing any common crooks today. The memory of her time in their numbers still made her bitter. She was forced to steal by Pinstripe, the mob boss. She was very satisfied he now sat behind bars. None of her teammates knew she once worked for Pinstripe, and she didn't think he recognized her either.

She could have blamed him for the death of her father as well, but she didn't, that was her fault. She had her out, yet she had continued to steal. After her first arrest, Pinstripe dropped her, but she then stole for the thrill.

Until that day.

She held her father's hand as he died, he couldn't handle seeing his little girl a thief. She choose to continue her thievery at the cost of his life. "How could I have been so selfish?" she thought. She broke his heart. She felt a tear fall slowly. It froze on her cheek.

Suddenly she was pulled out of her nostalgic gaze as a blood-currdling scream filled the air. She focused her eagle sight and saw a man in tattered clothing grabbing a terrirified woman. Blackbird dived like an owl at its meal.

As she got closer she could tell ther man was bitting her. Trickles of blood fell from his mouth slowly. Blackbird would not let this continue. She felt the cold surge through her body as she prepared her attack.

"Evil must fall!" she said as the glowing of her hand shot out and struck the assualter in his back. The cold did not phase him. She landed and ran towards the man. Finally, he released the woman.

He flew off without any response. Blackbird's first instinct was to follow him, but she knew she must attend to the fallen citizen. She knelt by the strangers side, too late. The man had killed her. Normally level headed, she was furious. Someone would be missing his daughter. She thought about calling in back up, Bullet would be very helpful in tracking down this superpowered killer, but this was personal.

She looked at the girls neck, two puncture marks on the jugguler vein. Then, she took off and flew after the possible vampire.

To be continued...