Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2015 20:40:37 GMT -5
Titans of Justice Clasified #18 – (Title) PART 1
Written by: texgnome1
Edited by: Power Guy
PART 1
Jack sat looking at the photographs as he did every year on this day. He took them out along with his action figure collection and went through everything. Since his mom had died when he was twelve, his aunt had always let him come back to look at his stuff. He knew he could easily scan them on his laptop, but looking at the old photos just seemed to feel right somehow. The toys would fetch a mint on 3DBay, but he couldn’t bear to part with them. He remembered how beautiful his mom had been, and how she had always made sure he had a safe place to stay and lots of things to play with. Her death had never sat well with him though. Oh, he knew it was a fluke. Bad weather and high speeds had been a deadly combination. He sighed heavily and reached for the coke his aunt always left for him, knocking it over. He nearly panicked. “Mom’s photos! NO! This can’t be happening,” he said aloud. He began hastily wiping up the liquid when he noticed it had spilled on two of the photos.
As he cleaned off the pictures, he noticed one of the photos had something stuck to the back of it. He paused, “Weird. Never noticed that before…” He slowly began to peel and realized that it was a second photo stuck to the back of the first. As he looked at it, he realized that the hidden photo was his mom at a young age with a man who could have been his brother. And there cuddled between them was a baby boy that he knew was him at a young age – probably not even 6 months.
“What the hell? Mom told me dad ran out on her before I was born. But I’d bet any amount of money that’s him. What on earth is going on?” In all his 26 years, he’d never once thought to question his aunt regarding what his mother had told him. She’d been everything to him, and after her death he’d been too depressed to even consider looking for his dad. He had no idea who the man was, but he had to find out. Hmm… the man was wearing a Lexcorp badge. Maybe he could dig around and find out who he was. “That computer degree my aunt paid for had better pay off…”
Interlude 1
Albert wiped the sweat from his face and finished polishing the belt he used in his costume. He always felt good being in the workshop. His entire family used it as a “secret lair” of sorts. They’d always gotten giggles calling it that growing up, and even now it made him smile. He turned back to the computer he’d been working on and looked at the overhead monitors. Since the death of six Titans a few weeks earlier, he’d been very busy. Mom & dad and even his older sister had pretty much left him alone. They knew he was busy, and his sisters had even accepted his resignation from the Rangers with understanding. Laura had been a bit of a pain, but she always had been nosy. The files he’d been sent were packed full of information, and he’d been sent a lot of them. He had no idea Robert had been this busy. Just then he caught a glimpse of the Daily Planet from the morning after the explosion.
“Six Heroes Presumed Dead In Star Labs Explosion”
But it was the editorial on the back page from Cathy Grant that always caught his eye.
“Russian Roulette: Were the Titans’ Deaths Just a Matter of Time?”
No matter how many times he read it, he couldn’t help but feel convicted that they were making the right choice. He’d passed on dozens of recommendations and notes to his friend, but there was still so much to get done. He knew Robert would make his own decisions, but it felt nice to be included. He read the email from his mentor again.
Albert: I know that you are struggling with some very big decisions. Know though that even the smallest pebble can make huge ripples. Corny I know, but it is true nonetheless. When you first came to me many years ago, I told you that your powers were simply an extension. To be a hero, you had to know how to proceed if you lost them. It’s not enough to put on a fancy cape and tight underwear and go out and fight “evil”. True heroism comes from the heart. Remember my reply when you first told me you wanted to be a superhero? “A superhero eh? Why that? Why not become a salesman or something else?” You told me, “Because someone has to do what’s right. It’s never easy, and almost never popular. Heroes win not because of their powers or brains, but because of their hearts.” Remember, as long as you are doing what’s right, you’ll know what you have to do.
- Toshio
He wiped the tear from his eye and went back to work. Helena deserved that much.
PART 2 – Hong Kong
It hadn’t been anywhere near as difficult as he thought. The name on the badge had read Jack Nimball. He had no idea who the man had been, but he knew for sure now that this man was his father. He’d hacked into Lexcorp’s old files, and managed to find an archived employee database that led him here. The flight hadn’t been too bad, and he’d managed to find the address with a little help. Now he had no idea what to do. He knew the place was abandoned, and from the looks of things for quite some time. He couldn’t imagine why his dad’s address was listed here, but he had to at least try. The small sign over the button next to the front door was obvious.
PRESS HERE
He knew the button would probably lead to no good, but he’d also walked around the strange house and knew there was no other visible way in. He pressed the button, and waited.
WHAM! The blinding pain in his groin doubled him over. Groaning, he looked to see a Jack in the Box at waist level bouncing on an extendable spring. He’d never been hit like that in his life! He grabbed it, and too late realized it had another wire attached to the joy buzzer on the end. ZZZZTTTT! “Mother *%@$#!!!” He howled as he flew through the air. What kind of twisted guy had his dad been? The jolt had been enough to send him flying off the porch and almost five feet into the yard. His hair was singed, and he was pretty sure the burned meat he smelled was his own body. He then looked over and saw a small pad on the ground beside him. Instinctively, he touched it very carefully. The front door swung open, and he walked carefully inside.
The house seemed empty, except for a small wooden carousel horse in the middle of the living room. After his experience on the front porch, he was in no hurry to look at that thing. He took a closer look around, and found his hunch had been correct except for a larger copy of the picture he’d found. It was coated in dust, but it was framed and hung in a neat spot. His father had obviously been expecting him. But how?
He went back to the carousel horse. He was sure this would result in more stinging, but he had come too far now. He sat down, and winced in anticipation. After a few seconds, he realized that nothing had happened. “Hahahaha! Stupid horse. Giddyup!” Hidden speakers began to play music so loudly he never noticed the seat belt fasten over his lap. Then the floor dropped out from under him. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
He had no idea how far he’d fallen. He woke up and saw what he remembered as a Lite-Brite in front of him. “Go to the computer,” it spelled. He wasn’t sure he wanted to at this point. It was obvious that he’d thrown up, and he vaguely remembered banging his head during the fall. He found the computer, and switched it on. The room began to whir and hum, and compartments began sliding out of the wall. The computer lit up, and a face that seemed vaguely familiar appeared before him wearing a mask and an odd hat. He looked like the Jack in the Box from upstairs. Byron moved his hands over his groin.
“Hahaha kiddo! I bet right about now you’ve got your hands over your privates. Sorry, but I had to take steps to make sure Lexie never found this place. And I didn’t want anyone else stumbling on it. I mean, how mad would Lex be if he knew I’d embezzled funds from him and made my own private place. But I’m getting ahead. I’m Jack Nimball, and I’m sure Obi-wan told you I killed your father. But…. DUN DUN DUN… I AM your father. Hoo ha hoo ha…. Sorry boyo, couldn’t resist. I am your dad. I bet mom told you I ran off or something. In a way I did. I followed Lex into the future, and if you’re seeing this it means it didn’t end well. Ah well, hopefully now they’ve got even more great toys to play with. I bet everything’s electronic now. Whee! Well, here’s the deal. You do what you want. I’ve left instructions, diagrams, even blueprints for some stuff I kept from that bald butt boss Luthor. I’ve also left some personal details to prove what I’m saying is true. There’s a suit in there too – better than the one I had that’s for sure. The stuff is all in the compartments that should have opened up. Have fun – after all, toys are meant to be played with! Go get ‘em kid! If you do decide to follow in your old man’s footsteps though, I have one small request…”
Jack smiled. He couldn’t believe it. All these years, he’d never known that his dad had been the Toyman. He fingered the costume – it looked like his dad’s, but seemed to have a bit more padding and armor. It was unbelievably light though. As he looked at all the other things, he felt like it was like Christmas all over again. He smiled, knowing this was right. He would find out how his dad had died, and then he knew exactly what he was going to do first.
Three days later
Albert’s dad could still be pretty tough when he wanted to be. Having married so young, he was still in remarkable shape, and Albert doubted he would’ve been able to resist if he’d wanted to. So when his dad had insisted he get some air, he’d taken to the skies immediately. He’d donned the suit and generated enough wind to get high in the air. He knew he needed a break the minute he felt the wind across his face. He hoped he’d be able to get a workout, but he was pretty sure that things were quiet today. He’d headed to Dallas, thinking the odds were better of finding something there. Right on queue, he heard the police band through his mask microphone.
“All units please respond. We have reports of an attempted murder in progress. Proceed with extreme caution. Code 99 backup will be required.” Albert knew that code was used by Dallas Police for superhuman involvement. But he couldn’t remember the last time it had been used. The capes usually stuck to the big coastal cities. Most of the Rangers’ activities were confined to assisting the authorities with rescue or recovery. He dialed in on the emergency channel.
Atmosphere: “Code 99 backup en route, agent Atmosphere responding. Please advise nature of request.”
“Sgt. Mitchell here. Thanks for responding so quickly. We’ve got a situation at the Shady Acres retirement home. Apparently someone’s trying to murder one of the residents. I’ve sent the address through to your PDA.”
Atmosphere: “On my way Sergeant. Do we have any information on the assailant?
Sgt. Mitchell: “Reports are sketchy, but apparently it’s a male, Caucasian, thin build, about 6’.”
Atmosphere: “Umm… that requires a Code 99?”
Sgt. Mitchell: “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. He’s wearing a Jester costume and attempting to kill one of the residents with toy army men. GI Joes specifically.” Atmosphere: “Okay, I see your point. That would certainly qualify. Please have your men evacuate as many of the other residents as possible and set up a perimeter. I’m about 10 minutes out.”
Sgt. Mitchell: “Already done, but updated reports indicate he may have already killed one of the employees.”
Atmosphere winced. He knew that if the man was willing to kill an innocent bystander to get to his victim, he wouldn’t be playing. He called the workshop. “Dad, can you run a quick profile and see if we have any villains on file using children’s toys as weapons? Possibly wearing a jester costume?”
His dad clicked back in, “What? Are you kidding me? It sounds familiar, but I can’t remember where. One second.” While his dad searched, he tried to rack his brain. He knew he’d heard this M.O. somewhere, and recently. “The M.O. you described belongs to a guy named Jack Nimball. He was one of several freaks who called himself the Toyman. But he was killed in the Titans’ first mission by Jemstone. It was ruled an accident, but he apparently had come forward in time by about 25 years.”
Lovely, Atmosphere thought. Another Titans mess to clean up? Just what he wanted.
“Crap,” he heard his dad say. “Son, listen to me closely. I’m sending both of your sisters, but they’re at least 30 minutes out even if Scorpion hits top speed. I pulled the resident list for that retirement home. One of the listed residents is named Winslow Schott. Wanna guess what name he used to go by?”
It all clicked for Atmosphere. “I already know dad. He was the Toyman too. Killed a little boy in one adventure, then disfigured about 50 people at a circus with a giant stuffed bear. Figure the new guy is trying to clear up any doubts?” Damage replied, “Yes I do, and none of the Toymen should ever be taken lightly.” “Got it dad, I’ll be careful.”
Just as he descended, he saw a huge cloud of smoke erupt from the top of the building. No time to check in with Sgt. Mitchell. If he had a chance of saving Schott, miserable being that he was, he had to act. Luckily Sgt. Mitchell called first. “Appears he just accomplished his goal. We have at least three dead, and he’s now attempting to get away through the roof. I see you coming – be careful.”
Atmosphere scanned the roof. He saw the villain emerging from the smoke, laughing maniacally as he threw jacks and toy soldiers at the police below. The jacks exploded, and the toy soldiers were keeping the police at bay. “Whee! That was fun. Told you I’d make you proud dad. Sick old child murderer. Tougher than I expected. Can’t wait to try out some of the stuff he tried to use on me.”
Atmosphere used his built-in amplifier to carry his voice over the wind he generated, “Toyman, put your hands up and prepare to be taken into custody.” He glided to a position a few feet over the villain, fully expecting him to cower. He obviously wasn’t Jack, but the resemblance under the mask was uncanny.
“Ah ah ah – all work and no play makes Jack Jr. a dull boy!” teased the toy-themed lunatic.
Atmosphere paused. Nothing in the file had indicated relatives according to his dad.
The new Toyman moved impossibly fast. In one motion, springs had popped out of the bottom of his shoes, and he flew straight at Atmosphere. “Here party pooper, have a blast,” as he threw handfuls of jacks.
Atmosphere ducked aside and used his wind to gust away the jacks. Too late, he saw the slinky wrapping around his foot. He plummeted hard to the roof. Obviously, the slinky was under some type of electronic control.
“Not bad eggplant, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Speaking of which…” Toyman began heaving horseshoes straight at Atmosphere’s head.
Atmosphere dodged, and managed to get his ankle free. He was pretty sure it was twisted, but he turned and blasted Toyman square on his butt with a hard gust of air.
“No fair cheater! Spoiling my fun. Let’s see how you like it.” Toyman pushed a button on his belt.
Atmosphere never saw it coming. The roof below him collapsed, and though he sprang into the air, he knew a giant stuffed bear when he saw one.
The Toyman leapt and attacked again, but Atmosphere delivered a judo chop that sent him down hard. The bear though, had managed to punch a big enough hole through the roof to get a claw through. He shredded Atmosphere’s already injured ankle, and Atmosphere lost his concentration. This landing was even harder, and the blood was pouring freely.
“Aww… has oo got a booboo? Maybe I can help,” Toyman taunted. Atmosphere laughed out loud as Toyman drew a Whiffle bat from his bag of tricks. “Hahaha – I know that one. Whiffle bat. CHILD’S PLAY.” Toyman’s face contorted in rage. “What do you know? I looked it up moron. My father was killed by one of you caped cretins, and I never got to know him at all. So I found his stuff, and I handled a little personal vendetta. Idiot Schott, you should be glad I killed him. Served his time I disagree.” He swung the bat, and Atmosphere rolled away. Just as he aimed for another air blast, a giant clawed hand came through the roof again and took a swipe.
Atmosphere turned to focus and lost sight of Toyman. He aimed a huge blast at the bear’s head, and completely decapitated it. “You ruined my toy!” he heard. Too late, Atmosphere tried to side step. His ankle slowed him just enough, and Toyman’s swing hit him square in the ribs. He was pretty sure something cracked as he fell to his knees.
“Child’s play huh? I’ve made a few teensy improvements,” gloated the new Toyman.
Atmosphere knew he didn’t have long. This kook could probably kill him before his sisters arrived. He saw the bat being raised, and managed to blast Toyman across the roof.
“AARRRGHH! Stupid hero, I just wanted to play. Now you tore my costume. My dad made this!”
“You should have told him… huh… to let your mommy do it” Atmosphere taunted. He struggled to breathe now, and knew he had to finish this.
“How dare you talk about my parents!” shrieked the maniacal villain.
Good, he’s distracted, thought Atmosphere. He aimed another blast that Toyman dodged, but tossed his belt at Toyman. It hit him square between the eyes! Atmosphere began to increase the pressure and reduce the temperature on the roof. He had to be careful. He didn’t think the building could take much more.
Toyman began to slow in his approach. “Why… can’t I breathe? And why’s it so cold… You’re… the one with… ehn… broken ribs…”
“Because I’m smarter than you moron. I’ve been increasing the pressure on the roof at the same time I reduced the oxygen level and dropped the temperature. Those colored spots? You should be passing out right about…”
Toyman grimaced and keeled over.
“Now.” Atmosphere rolled over and sat up. He knew he couldn’t walk, but he had to get Toyman off the roof. He wrapped his belt securely around the unconscious villain and summoned an air current and lifted both himself and Toyman to the ground level. A policeman approached.
Atmosphere: “Please tell me you’re the department’s superhuman liaison?”
“Pleasure to meet you in person. I’m Sgt. Mitchell. That guy really did a number on you.”
“He sure did. But he should be wrapped up pretty easily. I’ll need my belt back though – wrapped him in it to make sure he couldn’t struggle free. Whenever you get him locked up send it back to me.”
“No problem. You ever need anything, let me know. No telling what this idiot might have done if you hadn’t stopped him.”
Just then his sisters set down. Scorpion looked concerned, but Aura laughed out loud. “Haha – wait, Toyman did that to you? Are you kidding me?”
“Gee, thanks for your support. Just for that, YOU get to carry me to the hospital haha.”
Aura replied, “Your big butt’s too heavy. Even Scorpion couldn’t lift you.” They all laughed as they took to the sky. Aura and Scorpion flanked their brother to make sure he made it to the hospital.
EPILOGUE
Toyman paced back and forth in his cell. He was beyond crazed. He knew he had succeeded, but only partially. Schott was dead, but that murderer Jemstone was still out there. And the man that had stopped his fun was flying around laughing about it. “That’s okay. Dad said in his diary that where there’s a will there’s a way. It’s just a matter of time, and both those do-gooders will get what’s coming to them.”
Written by: texgnome1
Edited by: Power Guy
PART 1
Jack sat looking at the photographs as he did every year on this day. He took them out along with his action figure collection and went through everything. Since his mom had died when he was twelve, his aunt had always let him come back to look at his stuff. He knew he could easily scan them on his laptop, but looking at the old photos just seemed to feel right somehow. The toys would fetch a mint on 3DBay, but he couldn’t bear to part with them. He remembered how beautiful his mom had been, and how she had always made sure he had a safe place to stay and lots of things to play with. Her death had never sat well with him though. Oh, he knew it was a fluke. Bad weather and high speeds had been a deadly combination. He sighed heavily and reached for the coke his aunt always left for him, knocking it over. He nearly panicked. “Mom’s photos! NO! This can’t be happening,” he said aloud. He began hastily wiping up the liquid when he noticed it had spilled on two of the photos.
As he cleaned off the pictures, he noticed one of the photos had something stuck to the back of it. He paused, “Weird. Never noticed that before…” He slowly began to peel and realized that it was a second photo stuck to the back of the first. As he looked at it, he realized that the hidden photo was his mom at a young age with a man who could have been his brother. And there cuddled between them was a baby boy that he knew was him at a young age – probably not even 6 months.
“What the hell? Mom told me dad ran out on her before I was born. But I’d bet any amount of money that’s him. What on earth is going on?” In all his 26 years, he’d never once thought to question his aunt regarding what his mother had told him. She’d been everything to him, and after her death he’d been too depressed to even consider looking for his dad. He had no idea who the man was, but he had to find out. Hmm… the man was wearing a Lexcorp badge. Maybe he could dig around and find out who he was. “That computer degree my aunt paid for had better pay off…”
Interlude 1
Albert wiped the sweat from his face and finished polishing the belt he used in his costume. He always felt good being in the workshop. His entire family used it as a “secret lair” of sorts. They’d always gotten giggles calling it that growing up, and even now it made him smile. He turned back to the computer he’d been working on and looked at the overhead monitors. Since the death of six Titans a few weeks earlier, he’d been very busy. Mom & dad and even his older sister had pretty much left him alone. They knew he was busy, and his sisters had even accepted his resignation from the Rangers with understanding. Laura had been a bit of a pain, but she always had been nosy. The files he’d been sent were packed full of information, and he’d been sent a lot of them. He had no idea Robert had been this busy. Just then he caught a glimpse of the Daily Planet from the morning after the explosion.
“Six Heroes Presumed Dead In Star Labs Explosion”
But it was the editorial on the back page from Cathy Grant that always caught his eye.
“Russian Roulette: Were the Titans’ Deaths Just a Matter of Time?”
No matter how many times he read it, he couldn’t help but feel convicted that they were making the right choice. He’d passed on dozens of recommendations and notes to his friend, but there was still so much to get done. He knew Robert would make his own decisions, but it felt nice to be included. He read the email from his mentor again.
Albert: I know that you are struggling with some very big decisions. Know though that even the smallest pebble can make huge ripples. Corny I know, but it is true nonetheless. When you first came to me many years ago, I told you that your powers were simply an extension. To be a hero, you had to know how to proceed if you lost them. It’s not enough to put on a fancy cape and tight underwear and go out and fight “evil”. True heroism comes from the heart. Remember my reply when you first told me you wanted to be a superhero? “A superhero eh? Why that? Why not become a salesman or something else?” You told me, “Because someone has to do what’s right. It’s never easy, and almost never popular. Heroes win not because of their powers or brains, but because of their hearts.” Remember, as long as you are doing what’s right, you’ll know what you have to do.
- Toshio
He wiped the tear from his eye and went back to work. Helena deserved that much.
PART 2 – Hong Kong
It hadn’t been anywhere near as difficult as he thought. The name on the badge had read Jack Nimball. He had no idea who the man had been, but he knew for sure now that this man was his father. He’d hacked into Lexcorp’s old files, and managed to find an archived employee database that led him here. The flight hadn’t been too bad, and he’d managed to find the address with a little help. Now he had no idea what to do. He knew the place was abandoned, and from the looks of things for quite some time. He couldn’t imagine why his dad’s address was listed here, but he had to at least try. The small sign over the button next to the front door was obvious.
PRESS HERE
He knew the button would probably lead to no good, but he’d also walked around the strange house and knew there was no other visible way in. He pressed the button, and waited.
WHAM! The blinding pain in his groin doubled him over. Groaning, he looked to see a Jack in the Box at waist level bouncing on an extendable spring. He’d never been hit like that in his life! He grabbed it, and too late realized it had another wire attached to the joy buzzer on the end. ZZZZTTTT! “Mother *%@$#!!!” He howled as he flew through the air. What kind of twisted guy had his dad been? The jolt had been enough to send him flying off the porch and almost five feet into the yard. His hair was singed, and he was pretty sure the burned meat he smelled was his own body. He then looked over and saw a small pad on the ground beside him. Instinctively, he touched it very carefully. The front door swung open, and he walked carefully inside.
The house seemed empty, except for a small wooden carousel horse in the middle of the living room. After his experience on the front porch, he was in no hurry to look at that thing. He took a closer look around, and found his hunch had been correct except for a larger copy of the picture he’d found. It was coated in dust, but it was framed and hung in a neat spot. His father had obviously been expecting him. But how?
He went back to the carousel horse. He was sure this would result in more stinging, but he had come too far now. He sat down, and winced in anticipation. After a few seconds, he realized that nothing had happened. “Hahahaha! Stupid horse. Giddyup!” Hidden speakers began to play music so loudly he never noticed the seat belt fasten over his lap. Then the floor dropped out from under him. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
He had no idea how far he’d fallen. He woke up and saw what he remembered as a Lite-Brite in front of him. “Go to the computer,” it spelled. He wasn’t sure he wanted to at this point. It was obvious that he’d thrown up, and he vaguely remembered banging his head during the fall. He found the computer, and switched it on. The room began to whir and hum, and compartments began sliding out of the wall. The computer lit up, and a face that seemed vaguely familiar appeared before him wearing a mask and an odd hat. He looked like the Jack in the Box from upstairs. Byron moved his hands over his groin.
“Hahaha kiddo! I bet right about now you’ve got your hands over your privates. Sorry, but I had to take steps to make sure Lexie never found this place. And I didn’t want anyone else stumbling on it. I mean, how mad would Lex be if he knew I’d embezzled funds from him and made my own private place. But I’m getting ahead. I’m Jack Nimball, and I’m sure Obi-wan told you I killed your father. But…. DUN DUN DUN… I AM your father. Hoo ha hoo ha…. Sorry boyo, couldn’t resist. I am your dad. I bet mom told you I ran off or something. In a way I did. I followed Lex into the future, and if you’re seeing this it means it didn’t end well. Ah well, hopefully now they’ve got even more great toys to play with. I bet everything’s electronic now. Whee! Well, here’s the deal. You do what you want. I’ve left instructions, diagrams, even blueprints for some stuff I kept from that bald butt boss Luthor. I’ve also left some personal details to prove what I’m saying is true. There’s a suit in there too – better than the one I had that’s for sure. The stuff is all in the compartments that should have opened up. Have fun – after all, toys are meant to be played with! Go get ‘em kid! If you do decide to follow in your old man’s footsteps though, I have one small request…”
Jack smiled. He couldn’t believe it. All these years, he’d never known that his dad had been the Toyman. He fingered the costume – it looked like his dad’s, but seemed to have a bit more padding and armor. It was unbelievably light though. As he looked at all the other things, he felt like it was like Christmas all over again. He smiled, knowing this was right. He would find out how his dad had died, and then he knew exactly what he was going to do first.
Three days later
Albert’s dad could still be pretty tough when he wanted to be. Having married so young, he was still in remarkable shape, and Albert doubted he would’ve been able to resist if he’d wanted to. So when his dad had insisted he get some air, he’d taken to the skies immediately. He’d donned the suit and generated enough wind to get high in the air. He knew he needed a break the minute he felt the wind across his face. He hoped he’d be able to get a workout, but he was pretty sure that things were quiet today. He’d headed to Dallas, thinking the odds were better of finding something there. Right on queue, he heard the police band through his mask microphone.
“All units please respond. We have reports of an attempted murder in progress. Proceed with extreme caution. Code 99 backup will be required.” Albert knew that code was used by Dallas Police for superhuman involvement. But he couldn’t remember the last time it had been used. The capes usually stuck to the big coastal cities. Most of the Rangers’ activities were confined to assisting the authorities with rescue or recovery. He dialed in on the emergency channel.
Atmosphere: “Code 99 backup en route, agent Atmosphere responding. Please advise nature of request.”
“Sgt. Mitchell here. Thanks for responding so quickly. We’ve got a situation at the Shady Acres retirement home. Apparently someone’s trying to murder one of the residents. I’ve sent the address through to your PDA.”
Atmosphere: “On my way Sergeant. Do we have any information on the assailant?
Sgt. Mitchell: “Reports are sketchy, but apparently it’s a male, Caucasian, thin build, about 6’.”
Atmosphere: “Umm… that requires a Code 99?”
Sgt. Mitchell: “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. He’s wearing a Jester costume and attempting to kill one of the residents with toy army men. GI Joes specifically.” Atmosphere: “Okay, I see your point. That would certainly qualify. Please have your men evacuate as many of the other residents as possible and set up a perimeter. I’m about 10 minutes out.”
Sgt. Mitchell: “Already done, but updated reports indicate he may have already killed one of the employees.”
Atmosphere winced. He knew that if the man was willing to kill an innocent bystander to get to his victim, he wouldn’t be playing. He called the workshop. “Dad, can you run a quick profile and see if we have any villains on file using children’s toys as weapons? Possibly wearing a jester costume?”
His dad clicked back in, “What? Are you kidding me? It sounds familiar, but I can’t remember where. One second.” While his dad searched, he tried to rack his brain. He knew he’d heard this M.O. somewhere, and recently. “The M.O. you described belongs to a guy named Jack Nimball. He was one of several freaks who called himself the Toyman. But he was killed in the Titans’ first mission by Jemstone. It was ruled an accident, but he apparently had come forward in time by about 25 years.”
Lovely, Atmosphere thought. Another Titans mess to clean up? Just what he wanted.
“Crap,” he heard his dad say. “Son, listen to me closely. I’m sending both of your sisters, but they’re at least 30 minutes out even if Scorpion hits top speed. I pulled the resident list for that retirement home. One of the listed residents is named Winslow Schott. Wanna guess what name he used to go by?”
It all clicked for Atmosphere. “I already know dad. He was the Toyman too. Killed a little boy in one adventure, then disfigured about 50 people at a circus with a giant stuffed bear. Figure the new guy is trying to clear up any doubts?” Damage replied, “Yes I do, and none of the Toymen should ever be taken lightly.” “Got it dad, I’ll be careful.”
Just as he descended, he saw a huge cloud of smoke erupt from the top of the building. No time to check in with Sgt. Mitchell. If he had a chance of saving Schott, miserable being that he was, he had to act. Luckily Sgt. Mitchell called first. “Appears he just accomplished his goal. We have at least three dead, and he’s now attempting to get away through the roof. I see you coming – be careful.”
Atmosphere scanned the roof. He saw the villain emerging from the smoke, laughing maniacally as he threw jacks and toy soldiers at the police below. The jacks exploded, and the toy soldiers were keeping the police at bay. “Whee! That was fun. Told you I’d make you proud dad. Sick old child murderer. Tougher than I expected. Can’t wait to try out some of the stuff he tried to use on me.”
Atmosphere used his built-in amplifier to carry his voice over the wind he generated, “Toyman, put your hands up and prepare to be taken into custody.” He glided to a position a few feet over the villain, fully expecting him to cower. He obviously wasn’t Jack, but the resemblance under the mask was uncanny.
“Ah ah ah – all work and no play makes Jack Jr. a dull boy!” teased the toy-themed lunatic.
Atmosphere paused. Nothing in the file had indicated relatives according to his dad.
The new Toyman moved impossibly fast. In one motion, springs had popped out of the bottom of his shoes, and he flew straight at Atmosphere. “Here party pooper, have a blast,” as he threw handfuls of jacks.
Atmosphere ducked aside and used his wind to gust away the jacks. Too late, he saw the slinky wrapping around his foot. He plummeted hard to the roof. Obviously, the slinky was under some type of electronic control.
“Not bad eggplant, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Speaking of which…” Toyman began heaving horseshoes straight at Atmosphere’s head.
Atmosphere dodged, and managed to get his ankle free. He was pretty sure it was twisted, but he turned and blasted Toyman square on his butt with a hard gust of air.
“No fair cheater! Spoiling my fun. Let’s see how you like it.” Toyman pushed a button on his belt.
Atmosphere never saw it coming. The roof below him collapsed, and though he sprang into the air, he knew a giant stuffed bear when he saw one.
The Toyman leapt and attacked again, but Atmosphere delivered a judo chop that sent him down hard. The bear though, had managed to punch a big enough hole through the roof to get a claw through. He shredded Atmosphere’s already injured ankle, and Atmosphere lost his concentration. This landing was even harder, and the blood was pouring freely.
“Aww… has oo got a booboo? Maybe I can help,” Toyman taunted. Atmosphere laughed out loud as Toyman drew a Whiffle bat from his bag of tricks. “Hahaha – I know that one. Whiffle bat. CHILD’S PLAY.” Toyman’s face contorted in rage. “What do you know? I looked it up moron. My father was killed by one of you caped cretins, and I never got to know him at all. So I found his stuff, and I handled a little personal vendetta. Idiot Schott, you should be glad I killed him. Served his time I disagree.” He swung the bat, and Atmosphere rolled away. Just as he aimed for another air blast, a giant clawed hand came through the roof again and took a swipe.
Atmosphere turned to focus and lost sight of Toyman. He aimed a huge blast at the bear’s head, and completely decapitated it. “You ruined my toy!” he heard. Too late, Atmosphere tried to side step. His ankle slowed him just enough, and Toyman’s swing hit him square in the ribs. He was pretty sure something cracked as he fell to his knees.
“Child’s play huh? I’ve made a few teensy improvements,” gloated the new Toyman.
Atmosphere knew he didn’t have long. This kook could probably kill him before his sisters arrived. He saw the bat being raised, and managed to blast Toyman across the roof.
“AARRRGHH! Stupid hero, I just wanted to play. Now you tore my costume. My dad made this!”
“You should have told him… huh… to let your mommy do it” Atmosphere taunted. He struggled to breathe now, and knew he had to finish this.
“How dare you talk about my parents!” shrieked the maniacal villain.
Good, he’s distracted, thought Atmosphere. He aimed another blast that Toyman dodged, but tossed his belt at Toyman. It hit him square between the eyes! Atmosphere began to increase the pressure and reduce the temperature on the roof. He had to be careful. He didn’t think the building could take much more.
Toyman began to slow in his approach. “Why… can’t I breathe? And why’s it so cold… You’re… the one with… ehn… broken ribs…”
“Because I’m smarter than you moron. I’ve been increasing the pressure on the roof at the same time I reduced the oxygen level and dropped the temperature. Those colored spots? You should be passing out right about…”
Toyman grimaced and keeled over.
“Now.” Atmosphere rolled over and sat up. He knew he couldn’t walk, but he had to get Toyman off the roof. He wrapped his belt securely around the unconscious villain and summoned an air current and lifted both himself and Toyman to the ground level. A policeman approached.
Atmosphere: “Please tell me you’re the department’s superhuman liaison?”
“Pleasure to meet you in person. I’m Sgt. Mitchell. That guy really did a number on you.”
“He sure did. But he should be wrapped up pretty easily. I’ll need my belt back though – wrapped him in it to make sure he couldn’t struggle free. Whenever you get him locked up send it back to me.”
“No problem. You ever need anything, let me know. No telling what this idiot might have done if you hadn’t stopped him.”
Just then his sisters set down. Scorpion looked concerned, but Aura laughed out loud. “Haha – wait, Toyman did that to you? Are you kidding me?”
“Gee, thanks for your support. Just for that, YOU get to carry me to the hospital haha.”
Aura replied, “Your big butt’s too heavy. Even Scorpion couldn’t lift you.” They all laughed as they took to the sky. Aura and Scorpion flanked their brother to make sure he made it to the hospital.
EPILOGUE
Toyman paced back and forth in his cell. He was beyond crazed. He knew he had succeeded, but only partially. Schott was dead, but that murderer Jemstone was still out there. And the man that had stopped his fun was flying around laughing about it. “That’s okay. Dad said in his diary that where there’s a will there’s a way. It’s just a matter of time, and both those do-gooders will get what’s coming to them.”