The Music of Madness - part 2
by Ed Grabianowski

Freedom Fortress sits silent in the middle of the night, the heroes who reside within it all sleeping soundly. Only Microwave stands awake, monitoring the readouts in the central control room. Mentor is there as well, reclined and in a strange trance that is his species' equivalent of human sleep. Even at rest, his phenomenal mind is at work, constantly going over permutations and possibilities, using vast mental powers to extrapolate known facts into predictions of the near future. Mentor is not aware of this process, only its mysterious, subconscious results - some strange reaction of the combination of large amounts of Energy X encountered during his adventures with Freedom Force and the time warps experienced while fighting the Time Master has given him this strange new ability.

Elsewhere, there is movement in the Fortress. Alchemiss stirs in her restless sleep, dark dreams twisting her face in fear. But her open eyes seem to stare blindly, and as she leaves her room, she walks as if in a trance herself. She stalks the dark corridors of the fortress as a spectre, slight of build and wrapped in a black sheet.

When day breaks, she finds herself once again in the strange room several levels below-ground, the smell of brimstone in the air, and incomprehensible books and symbols all around her. As a feeling of cold horror creeps into her heart, she knows she dare tell no one of her nightly wanderings.

"Our lead story tonight on Patriot City News Channel Seven - who is the mysterious musician who has robbed five banks in the last week? Only this poor quality surveillance video image of him exists, as there are literally no witnesses to his daring mid-day heists. It seems everyone in his vicinity is lulled to sleep by his guitar playing. We go now to Alicia Singleton, live on location at Century Bank, the latest to be hit. Alicia?..."

"Thanks Jim. You can see behind me that Patriot City Police are interviewing witnesses, but just like in previous cases, everyone is very groggy and has no memory of seeing anyone rob the bank. Even the superheroes of Freedom Force are at a loss. I have with me Freedom Force spokesman Minute Man. Sir? Has anyone been injured in the bank robberies?"

"No miss, in fact, all the ‘victims' report feeling very refreshed and well-rested after the incidents."

"Do you have any leads on the case so far?"

"We are working with the PCPD to track down this thief, and are exploring several avenues of investigation."

"Is this musical menace a so-called ‘super-villain? His compositional talents seem outside the range of normal human abilities."

"We have strong evidence that he is a person who has been altered by Energy-X. Yes."

"Any other information?"

"Yes, we are asking for the public's help in two ways regarding this matter. First, we do have a witness who was outside the bank and thus unaffected by the music. He reported seeing a man carrying a guitar enter shortly before 4 p.m. today. We have this police sketch of the suspect. This man is wanted for questioning in this case. If he is spotted, do not attempt to apprehend him. Instead, call the Freedom Force hotline, 4-FREEDOM.

"Lastly, we have developed a strategy that we hope will allow us to pre-empt any future bank robberies by this man. What we need the citizens of Patriot City to do is, call the hotline if you are at a bank and you hear music of any kind. All area banks have been instructed to turn off any music they might play in the lobby, so if you hear music in a bank, call us before you fall asleep!"

"New developments in the strange pied piper bank robberies. Thank you for your time Minute Man. And don't forget to tune in tonight at 10 p.m. for our special report, Rated X: Energy-X In Patriot City. Now back to the studio, where Stu has the weather."

At Freedom Fortress, a phone rings.

And rings.

...and rings...

"Uh...Diablo, think you might answer that?" asks Alchemiss.

"Oh brother," El Diablo replies. "That's the 5th one today. So far we've caught two kids with pocket radios, a guy busking down the street, and some lady humming a tune! This pre-emptive thing has been nothing but a pain in my..."

Click. "Hello, Freedom Fortress, Minute Man speaking...yes, this is the number to call if you hear music in a bank...yes?"

As Diablo rolls his eyes, a look of concern crosses Minute Man's stoic face.

"Hello? Hello? Are you there?" he asks repeatedly. "Quickly to action, team! To the Freedom Flyer!"

"Another one? Gimme a break..."

"Whoever made that call stopped responding a few seconds into the conversation," says Minute Man firmly. "I suspect that they fell asleep. The call came from Ceasar Brothers' Currency Exchange. We must hurry!"

As the team prepares to leave, Mentor appears in the doorway, looking worn and tired. "Take caution today, my friends. I sense a shadow lingering over our near future."

Perhaps never before have superheroes reached a crime in progress to find such a peaceful scene. Minute Man, Alchemiss, El Diablo, and Microwave slowly, cautiously enter the bank, gently nudging aside snoozing customers, security guards, and cashiers.

"I think we hit the jackpot," whispers Alchemiss. "He must be in the vault."

Microwave reports, "Sensors indicate one human-sized object moving at coordinates x32, 36, 197.3, y92, 15.3, 288, z66..."

"Where is he, tin-man?" El Diablo whispers loudly.

"Alchemiss is correct," replies the robot. "Our quarry is in the vault."

Just then an odd figure emerges from the back of the currency exchange, stepping gingerly over a dozing body. When he notices the four figures watching him, he jumps as if startled. He wears a dark, heavy overcoat over a white shirt with ruffled sleeves and collar, dark wool pants, and surprisingly dainty boots of dark purple. His handsome face is clean-shaven, and thick, dark waves of luxurious hair fall about his shoulders. Upon his back is strapped a small guitar, one specially designed to be portable.

"You're awake!" he cries.

"We sure are, and you're going to jail, you hack," answers El Diablo.

"Please! Please! Such discord!" the man says. "I see you are the intrepid heroes who protect our fair city from foul criminal vermin. If you simply allow me to explain myself, I'm sure you'll hear the truth."

"You can save your explanation for a Patriot City judge, thief!" says Minute Man indignantly.

"But I am no criminal! I seek no profit or personal gain. I harm no one at all!" the man says, looking genuinely astonished that Freedom Force opposes him.

"No personal gain! Then what's that for?" Alchemiss asks, pointing to a pair of cloth sacks on the floor behind the man, both overflowing with crisp $20 bills.

"The children! All for the children!" he laughs. "You see, I am a professor of musical performance at the Accadèmia Di Belle Arti - it's in downtown Patriot City. You'd know it by it's splendid architecture! The lines flow gracefully, like interweaving melodies which craft a perfect, sweet subtle harmony of form and..."

"Get to the point, senor. Our willingness to hear you out might not extend through a dissertation on the architecture of Patriot City," grumbles El Diablo impatiently.

"Yes, yes...you see, I teach musical performance. I believe it is the most sublime method of self-expression. It unlocks the soul, unbinds the spirit, unchains the..."

"Ahem."

"Apologies. To make a long story short, I volunteer my time to teach music to school-children. It is so important that they are exposed to these things at an early age. And these days, school districts are cutting budgets, and the music programs are always the first to go. It pains me, and god forbid they would ever trim football from the budget. But I digress. There is only so much one man can do!" the man is practically pleading with them, clasping his hands, his face a mask of anguish. "So many children, deprived of the opportunity to learn and understand the truest beauty, that of music! So I created a fund to bolster school budgets when they need it for music programs! It's as simple as that! My thefts have been minor, enough to fund a few full-time teaching positions! And these banks are insured. Where is the harm? I ask you, would you arrest me and deprive these children even more?"

There is silence for a moment as the members of Freedom Force take in this tale of altruism. Then Microwave speaks.

"You are being placed under arrest for violating Patriot City law, code 672b, subheading c, for unlawful theft; code 672c, subheading a, unlawful use of stolen property, both felonies. You have the right..."

"So that's how it will be then!" the man's voice suddenly has an edge to it, a desperation not previously perceived. He slings the guitar over his shoulder into playing position. "I see that we will stand opposed. Prepare for a relaxing nap, Freedom Force! You'll not remember any of this when you awaken, but I will leave you my card. This city has not heard the last of I, Nocturne!"

"Stop him before he can play!" shouts Minute Man.

El Diablo takes aim, ready to unleash a burst of flame. "Hold it right there Nocturne. You only get one warning."

Nocturne strikes a chord, then another. "Ah yes," he says. "I call this piece Sognare Notturno. Enjoy!"

Almost instantly, the members of Freedom Force feel drowsy. Even Microwave pauses to run a self-diagnostic, as he suddenly detects higher resistances, inefficient circuit paths, and a gradual power drain.

"No!"El Diablo cries through a sleepy haze. "Can't keep my eyes open!"

Soon, three of the heroes are immobile as Nocturne deftly plucks a haunting melody. Alchemiss, though, seems to react strangely. She drops to her knees, fighting the urge to sleep, feeling her consciousness submerge. Then, without warning, she stiffens, her eyes cloud over as if filled with ink. She begins to rise, glaring at Nocturne with jet black eyes filled with an uncanny madness. When she screams at him, her voice rings throughout the lobby of the building, an unearthly roar, foul in tone and timbre - a voice not heard on earth for thousands of years:

"Cease your playing, man!" the voice which is not her voice roars. "I will end this."

Nocturne's playing falters, he recoils in fear. "What..."

"Silence!" she screams, and inky tendrils snake out from her fingers reaching toward the cowering musician. The air crackles with energy. As the shadows reach him, Nocturne can only scream.

"No! Please.....nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

To be continued...