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Issue Nine
"Seven Soldiers of Victory: Lightning Strikes!"
History Lesson (1943): With the JSA off on a mission vital to the War effort, it is up to the various Mystery Men that make up the All-Star Squadron to confront the menace of a group of villainous scientists...
The Masterminds of Evil!
Star City...
It'll be thirty years till a certain 'emerald archer' makes this city his home, so costumed heroes are a rare sight to the common citizens. Especially ones that ask directions to the nearest phone booth.
"Nothing yet, Wing," The Crimson Avenger said into the phone. "Since the first power plant was hit, it's been quiet. Almost too quiet. Things under control there? Yes, I know, I get all the interesting jobs. If you hear from the other Soldiers, let them know I'm at the corner of Ordway and Binder. Bye." He hung up and stepped out of the booth.
The Crimson Avenger wore a red body suit, yellow trunks, belt and boots.
The cowl of his costume was open faced, so he wore a domino mask. He peered up the street as a familiar sound came to his ears.
A motorcycle turned the corner and came racing towards the Avenger. It was ridden by a cowboy in blue with a white cowboy hat, and a red bandana that covered his face from his nose down. The Crimson Avenger waved and the cowboy pulled over to the curb.
"Hey, Vigilante," The Avenger said.
"No need to raise a ruckus pardner," The Cowboy drawled. " Not as though I could miss you in that getup. Any news?"
"Wing and the others are keeping an eye on the Perisphere and communication between the heroes..." The Avenger said.
"And I'm sure he's tickled getting to guard the phone."
"Not so you'd notice, but with the JSA gone we are spread pretty thin. Wing'll get his turn at the action. Right now, I'm more worried about this 'Lightening Master' character. If the mayor doesn't give in to his demands, he's going to hit another power plant."
"What are the others up to? I haven't seen hide nor hair of anybody."
"I know," Crimson Avenger said. " we need wrist radios or something. Last I heard, Sir Justin was flying around looking for signs of the Lightening Master's airship, while Stripes and the kid are still at the first plant that got hit."
"They find anything?"
"The remains of some kind of transistor receiver. So, it looks like the Lightening Master must have some henchmen on the ground, planting them at the power plants. Without them, it seems he can't target that 'lightning ray' of his."
"So, that gives us something to look for," Vigilante nodded. "Any sign of...? What in tarnation!"
Both heroes turned as an arrow struck the ground between them, burying itself in the pavement. It trailed a rope line that lead up to a nearby rooftop. A dark haired man clad in a yellow tunic, blue shorts, boots and wrist bands slid down the rope, using his bow as a handle. He landed nimbly on the ground, and nodded to the other heroes.
"Tarnation," Vigilante muttered, re-holstering his six-guns. "Make a little noise, Spider. You nearly got yourself ventilated."
"I'll keep it in mind," The costumed archer smirked. "Any news? I haven't talked to anybody in a while."
"The authorities are still sifting through the rubble of the last plant hit," Crimson Avenger informed him.
"What've you been up to, Pardner?" The Vigilante drawled. There was a tension between the three men. Even in a group as loose knit as the Soldiers, the Spider tended to pay the lone wolf and rumors had started to spread that he used some decidedly 'unheroic' methods in his war on crime.
"I talked to some informants I've got," The Spider replied. If he was aware of the suspicion, he didn't acknowledge it. "Information is scarce, but the little I've heard points toward the power plant at Queen's ridge being the most likely target. If we can't reach the others, we three might want to at least check it out."
"I can only take one passenger," Vigilante shrugged.
"You think Sandman or the Atom ever has to call a cab to save the day?" Spider said.
"You guys head over to the plant," Crimson Avenger said. "I'll call Wing back, see if he can get in touch with the others. We need to...what now?"
A roar from over head caught all three Mystery Men's attention.
A dark green automobile with wings circled overhead then swooped down for a landing.
The driver's side window rolled down and a broad-shoulder, red-haired man wearing a red and white striped shirt leaned out. "Need a lift?" He said. "You'll have to squeeze in the back."
"I've been in worse back seats," The Spider remarked.
"I don't want to know," The Crimson Avenger replied climbing in.
The Vigilante gave one regretful look at the motorcycle he had to leave behind, then joined his team mates.
"We got something!" The other person in the front seat exclaimed as the heroes jostled to fit. The Star Spangled kid, a teenager in a blue mask and tunic, decorated with white stars was Stripes, the driver, partner in crime fighting. "The Lightening Master's airship was spotted on the outskirts of town."
"The police think it's heading towards the plant at Queen's ridge, "Stripes added.
Vigilante and the Avenger ignored the Spider's 'told you so' smirk.
"So, we gonna split up?" Vigilante asked.
"Nah," the kid replied. "The police are going to search the plant. If they can find the targeting receiver the Lightening Master's thugs planted, he can't zap the place."
"And if we can catch up to his airship," Crimson Avenger said. "We can end this nonsense for good."
"You got it, Avenger," Stripes said. "Only thing is we couldn't get in touch with the Knight."
"Then he's going to have to miss all the fun," Spider said.
"We really need someone on this team that can fly," Vigilante added, as the Spider elbowed him for the third time.
The jet car zoomed through the skies as it moved from Star city to Queen's Ridge. The tall buildings and concrete gave way to grassy fields and small country houses.
"There!" Star Spangled kid shouted, pointing out the window.
"Kid, What have I told you about sticking your arm out the window!" Stripes snapped.
"Kid's right," Crimson Avenger said. "Look over there."
The airship was a zeppelin design, painted dark green. Though rather then a gondola attached to an airbag it appeared the whole structure was metal. A strange antenna dish was attached to the belly of the ship.
"Now what?" Vigilante asked, scratching his forehead in thought.
"We have to get aboard if we want to stop him," Crimson Avenger mused.
"I've gotta do everything," Spider snapped, stringing his bow. The arrow flew across the distance from the jet car to the Lightening Master's airship, trailing a silken cord.
"Grab the rope." The Crimson Avenger ordered.
He, the Spider and the Star-spangled kid all lunged for the cord. At the same time, port holes in the airship's side opened and shots were fired. Stripsey swerved sharply and the heroes holding the rope were yanked out the window.
"Dagnabit!" Vigilante exclaimed as bullets ricochet of the jetcar's armored body. "We gotta move in and distract those guns! The others are sitting ducks!"
"We can't!" Stripsey replied. "Look!"
As the heroes gripping the rope swung wildly towards the airship, the Star-spangled kid lost his hold and began to fall.
'We gotta go after him. We're his only chance!"
"But what about Spider and the Avenger?" Vigilante asked.
"So, what was your plan after 'grab the rope'?" The Spider shouted, as he and the Crimson Avenger struggled to hold on while avoiding the airships guns.
"Unfortunately, it kind of relied on us not getting shot at while we climbed,"
The Avenger snapped. "And not dropping any of our team mates."
"I tried to reach him!" The Spider replied, sharply.
The Crimson Avenger made a noncommittal grunt and concentrated on dodging bullets. He kept the rope swinging, while scanning for a way into the airship.
"We need to get on board..."
"No *&%# ," The Spider muttered, reaching into his quiver. "Grab my belt."
"What?"
"Just do it!" The Spider wrapped his legs around the rope, and once the Crimson Avenger had done as instructed, the Spider's hands were free to fire an arrow at the airship. This one trailed a line as well.
"Get ready," The Spider said, wrapping the end of the second line around his bow, then he let go of the first rope. He and the Avenger (who was still holding the archer's belt) swung over to the airship. They slammed into the green metallic hull, next to one of the hatches, just as it opened and an armed thug leaned out.
The Spider grabbed the thug by the coat and yanked him out of the gun port.
"Yaaghhhhh!"
"We need to talk about stunts like that one when this is over," The Avenger said, icily, as he watched the thug plummet to the ground.
"Lecture after I'm done bailing you out.," The Spider snapped climbing into the airship.
The Avenger frowned, but followed.
30 feet down and falling fast....
"So, this is what it feels like to fly," The Star-spangled kid thought as he fell. "Too bad I'll only get to try it once."
He'd read in a pulp magazine that if you spread-eagled it slowed your descent. He didn't notice much difference. As the ground rushed up, the kid closed his eyes, and waited. The impact came sooner then he thought and while it hurt, the Kid was pretty sure he was still alive.
"T'would appear I did arrive in the nick of time," A familiar voice said.
The Star-spangled kid opened his eyes. He was still about 50 feet above the ground and held aloft by a man on a winged horse.
"Sir Justin," The kid muttered. "You are my new favorite person."
The Shining Knight dressed a red tunic over chainmail that shone like gold. There was a sword belted to his waist, return the Kid's smile. "Glad am I to render assistance. What passes here, my young friend?"
"We got a tip about the Lightening Master and went after his airship. It's not going as smoothly as we hoped."
"T'would seem," The Knight said, swinging the kid up behind him on his horse's saddle. "Let us see what aid we can bring." The winged horse soared up towards the airship.
It was like walking around the interior of a submarine, The Crimson Avenger thought, as they made their way down a narrow metal passage. It's walls were decorated with pipes, valves and metal bulkheads.
"What now, Fearless leader?" The Spider asked, peering around anxiously, his bow strung.
"We need to find a control room. I don't want to stop this guy only to have his HQ come crashing down on the people we are supposed to be protecting. Let's keep heading forward."
Just then, a bulkhead opened and a half dozen thugs spilled out into the corridor.
"I shoulda stayed with the freedom fighters," The Spider muttered.
"Over there," Stripsey hollered as he frantically steered to avoid the gunfire from the airship. "That looks like a hangar bay or something. I'll drop you off and still have a chance to help the kid. Come on, moveit!"
"Uh...pardner," The Vigilant drawled. "I think he's doing just fine."
"What are you... Oh"
The kid and the Shining Knight whooshed past the jet car. Sir Justin's sword was drawn as he flew past the airship, hacking through the barrel of any gun that protruded. Stray bullets bounced off his enchanted armor. He swung his horse around and it landed on the hood of the hovering jet car.
"Syl...kid!" Stripes hollered, leaning out the window. "You're okay!"
The kid gave his partner a smile and a thumbs up.
"Where are our fellow heroes to be found?" Sir Justin asked.
"In the airship," Stripes replied. "We need to get in. I spotted a hangar bay of some kind."
"Then you should seek entrance there, the your squire and I will seek entry from the top battlements." And with that announcement Knight, Kid and horse flew off.
"I reckon I'm never gonna get used to the funny way that fella talks," Vigilante drawled.
The Spider let an arrow fly, catching the first thug in the leg. He stumbled, momentarily blocking the corridor.
"Now would be the time to announce your brilliant plan!" He shouted at the Crimson Avenger.
"I've got an idea, but you won't like it."
"Try me!"
The Avenger shrugged and tossed a tiny sphere at the floor. It burst and flooded the corridor with red smoke.
"What the...?" The Spider muttered.
"I'll get back as soon as I can," He heard the Avenger's voice say. "Keep these guys busy."
"What...? You're skipping out on me? Lousy...!"
Then the smoke started to clear and the group of thugs advanced.
"Hell, the Doom Patrol would have been better then this."
"I don't see any openings," The star-spangled kid announced, once he and the Shining Knight had reached the top of the airship.
"Then, we shall have need to forge one of our own," Sir Justin replied, swinging his enchanted sword. It cut through the re-enforced steel like it was wet cardboard and soon, there was a new square hatchway. "After you, lad,"
"I gotta get me one of those," The Kid smirked.
"We gonna just fly around, letting those jaspers use us for target practice?"
The Vigilante asked as the jet car made another circle around the airship. "I ain't got more then a handful of bullets left."
"We need to keep then busy 'til the others get onboard and find the control room," Stripes replied. "The kid can signal if he needs us. Relax, we'll have our turn."
Back inside...
The kid landed in a crouch and quickly scouted the corridor. "Looks clear," He whispered.
The Shining Knight joined him. "Where to, lad?" He asked.
"Well, the hum of energy seems to get louder that way," The kid said, pointing down the corridor ahead of them. " Let's give it a try."
The Knight nodded and they carefully made their way. After about ten feet, it opened up into a large chamber. Consoles lined most of the walls, manned by more of the thugs they'd seen at the gun-ports. In the center of the room, was a column of electricity contained in a glass cylinder tall as telephone pole and three times as thick. A man stood besides the column of energy, studying a monitor next to it.
"Wow," The kid muttered.
"Forsooth," The Knight added. "Yonder must be this Lightening Master we seek."
The Lightening Master wore a green robe and hood, both with a lightning bolt symbol on them, He tapped away at his control console, occasionally barking out orders to his men.
"I'm guessing that ... lightning column thingee is the power source," Star-spangled kid whispered. "If we can bust that..."
"I might be able to," Sir Justin said, "but how coulds't thou distract his minions?"
"I think with a little help," The Kid said, pointing to a doorway that was filling with red smoke.
"Lightening Master," A voice shouted. " Your reign of terror is over!"
"I think that's my cue," The Kid said, hurling himself at the nearest thug."
Back outside...
"Them fellas have stopped shootin' at us," The Vigilante drawled. "You reckon they found out the others are onboard?"
"Let's find out," Stripes muttered, steering for the airship and stomping on the gas pedal. " I'd hold on if I was you."
The Spider was down to his last couple of arrows and the hallway was becoming too crowded with the Lightening Master's henchmen (both unconscious and the few left that were still intent on clobbering him) for the hero to get a decent shot.
He switched his grip on his bow, holding it like a baseball bat. "Let's get this over with," He told the remaining thugs. "And when I get my hands on the Avenger..."
Before the red smoke had begun to fade, the Crimson Avenger had launched himself at the guards. As one fell from a right hook to the chin, the Avenger spotted the Star-spangled kid across the control room. He shrugged and continued pummeling.
The Kid punched a thug in the nose and leapt from him to the next one, making his way toward the green-masked Lightening Master. This was his big chance to show the others what he could do. Then they'd see he was nobody's sidekick.
"To your left, lad!" A voice shouted, as a golden, mail-clad arm shot out and knocked down a guard, sneaking up on the kid from behind.
"Thanks, Sir Justin! Let's get the Boss of all this!"
"I don't think so!" The Lightening Master shouted, drawing an odd, plastic gun, with a barrel that ended in a clear sphere, from his robes. He pulled the trigger and a bolt of electricity shot out, striking the Kid and sending him hurling back into the Knight.
The Avenger saw his teammates struck down and broke through the remaining guards to tackle their Boss. The Lightening Master fired wildly as he fell, accomplishing the heroes' work for them as bolts dropped his own henchmen and fried his equipment.
With a chop to the wrist, the Avenger knocked the gun to the floor and then grabbed for the Lightening Master's mask. Instead of pulling the green hood off, he gave it a twist, effectively blindfolding the villain. Then, the Avenger slammed the Lightening Master's head back into the console. With a groan, he slumped to the floor and the Crimson Avenger hurried to his teammates side.
Sir Justin was getting to his feet, but the Kid was down for the count.
"You have subdued yon villain?" The Knight asked.
"Yeah, now we need to figure out what to do with this airship....Huh?"
The airship shuddered and a loud thud rang through the control room.
'By my troth!"
The wall vibrated, burst and the jetcar jutted through the wall.
"Howdy pardners! Did we miss all the fun?"
"Well, met, my teammates! We dos't have the situation well in hand, so t'would...?"
Then the room lurched and the lights flickered.
"Oh boy," Stripes muttered.
"What the...?" The Crimson Avenger muttered lunging for the control panels.
"What occurs?" Sir Justin asked.
"It looks like the Lightening Master's weapon uses up a lot of energy and all this fighting has caused just enough damage to...."
'We're going to crash, aren't we?" One of the few remaining awake thugs asked.
"Not if we have anything to say bout it," The Vigilante said, smacking him with the butt of his six-shooter. "What now, Pards?"
"Steering is sluggish, power levels are low," The Avenger muttered.
"Hmmm, how about this?" Stripes suggested, joining the Avenger at the controls. "The ship doesn't have much power, so what if you concentrated on keeping aloft and I used the jetcar to tow it. Maybe out over the bay...?"
"Sounds good," Vigilante added.
"You spoke of this foul weapon that drains yon power?" The Knight asked. "Where t'is it located?"
The Crimson Avenger cocked a thumb at the cylinder of lightning behind him. The Knight nodded to himself, and drew his sword.
"Um...Justin?" Stripes asked, as the Knight strode toward the device.
The Shining Knight swung his sword and cleaved into the energy cylinder.
The other heroes, lunged for cover as the cylinder sparked and surged.
Electricity played across Sir Justin's golden armor as his trembling arms struggled to finish cutting through. With a final burst of energy the cylinder shattered and Sir Justin was flung back.
"Damn!" Vigilante exclaimed, as he and Stripes rushed to the fallen knight and the Avenger raced to check the control panels.
"What do you know," He muttered. "It worked! The power levels are rising! So, here's the plan: Stripes, load Justin and the kid into the jetcar, and we'll set up a tow line."
"Too bad, the Knight's out," Stripes said. "He could have helped..."
"Well, pardner," Vigilante added. "If you need somebody, good with horses..."
"Flying ones?"
The Vigilante shrugged.
"What about me?" A new voice asked. " Any new chances to get me killed?"
"Spider?" Stripes asked. "Where've you been?"
The Spider's lip was bleeding, one sleeve was torn off his uniform and he was limping as he made his way across the control room. He paused across the console from the Crimson Avenger.
"You and I are going to have more then just a little chat," The Spider muttered.
"Great, do it after we survive the crash." Stripes said. "You have anymore of those rope arrows left?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Okay, you're with me. Help get the Kid and Justin into the car."
"I'm going to mosey up topside and find me a horse," Vigilante said, then turned. "What about you, Avenger?"
"I'll steer this thing," He replied, grimly.
"Yeah, but what if...?" Stripes started.
"One thing at a time, " The Avenger snapped. "Let's save the city first!"
The heroes scattered to their respective tasks.
The citizens of Star City were treated to an unusual sight. What looked like a flying submarine, tied to a winged horse and a flying car drifted over the city and out to sea...
Later...
The Seven Soldiers stood on the rooftop of a dockside warehouse, watching police and firefighters deal with the crashed airship and the numerous henchmen struggling in the water.
"And that is that," Stripes said. "Nice bit of team work, eh kid?"
"I think we need a little work on that 'team work' stuff," The Spider muttered, glaring at the Crimson Avenger.
"I don't know bout the rest of you fellas," Vigilante said. "But I could use a cup of coffee."
"Stripes and I can give you a lift to your motorcycle," The Star-Spangled kid said. "And then, we're buying."
"It's great having a partner with a trust fund," Stripes grinned.
"Did anyone glimpse the man beneath the Lightning Master's hood?" The Shining Knight asked.
"Does it matter?" The Spider asked. "I'm sure he'll be back, swearing vengeance on the bunch us. Let's worry about the important stuff. You guys springing for anything stronger then coffee?"
Author's Notes:
Hope everybody had fun.
I've always had a soft spot for the SSoV, and tried to capture the old fashioned style of forties comics while developing the various personalities of the heroes.
I'm hoping to do more of these stories, using various mystery men, like the Fawcett heroes, the Freedom Fighters and others.
So, if you liked this, bug Tim so he'll let me do more.
Quick plug: The First 'Masterminds of Evil' story, featuring the Golden Age Doom Patrol happened over in my Doom Patrol series.