Spaceship Nibiru, Orbital Headquarters of the Strikeforce 1
Jack Merlin leaned back in the Command Seat, smiling. His right hand went to the head of Predro Delgado, Albino, who was standing next to him, and began to ruffle his hairs. “Things are going pretty well, my dear, young Pedro” said the Strikeforce true leader.
“In Mandelovia the plan is going on smoothly. The Vanguardians had split up, and are directing the game as it’s a ordinary military operation. The military background of many of them makes them blind… they are metahumans, yet they are unable to operate according to their powers… and that will be their demise…” said Merlin, the words nearly tasting like a good wine in his mouth.
Delgado began to laugh uncontrollably.
“And then, let’s see how the other operation is going on…” continued Jack Merlin, pressing a few buttons in the console on the right arm of the chair. Five monitors began to feed images of deep space, with two discs slowly departing from two enormous chunk of rock.
On a sixth, the face of Doctor June Ho, Tenant Inventor, appeared. “We have set the charges, Jack. Just… the position on the charges on meteor two will deviate it, according to my computer, of just a few degree…”
“Exactly, my dear. Now, stop to burden your precious, pretty brain with things related to military tactic and political opportunities, and come back, darling.” Pressing another button, the monitor became blank. The revolving chair turned to face the kid. Merlin winked.
“What city did you choose?” asked the Caribbean boy.
“Athanon, California” smiled Jack.
Mandelovia
Agent The Rose was looking on the palmtop of Digigirl at feeds from the satellite network of the Strikeforce. The battle was going on nicely, as half of the Vanguardians had left D’Goon, to fight the Strikeforce troop sent as a diversion to attack the Palace, while the small team of ACK heads toward the capture of D’Goon.
She gave the palmtop to her Indian teammate, and then began to methodically built his long laser sniper rifle, taking position over the roof, hiding between two statues, until the winged female Vanguardinas appeared in her aiming scope. Then, she pressed a button on her communicator.
“Agents Fire, Shock and Fangs ready for the attack on subjects Smith, Priest and Baxter.”
Spaceship Nibiru, Orbital Headquarters of the Strikeforce 1
Jack Merlin set the monitors over multiple news channel from Europe and America. Turned off the volume of the monitors, and then pressed another button on the armchair. Suddenly the notes of Vivaldi’s Four seasons began to play.
He leaned back, Albino still at his side.
On many screens there is the Paris tower, illuminated by hundreds of spotbeams. Helicopters were flying everywhere, like mad birds. Across the streets, cars are blocked into a traffic jam of incredible proportion. People scream, mute for the turned off volume. The cameras converged over one star, a little brighter than the other. The star seemed to grow in dimension and luminosity second by second, as the night sky conversely became brighter, and the other stars disappears.
As the minutes passed, the star became big and bigger, turning glowing red. The city was illuminated by that blood-red light. People, unable to run away from the city, blocked by the biggest traffic jam the whole planet had ever experienced, had started to pray, in small or big groups, religions keeping them separated even in proximity of the moment of their death.
Then, on one monitor the camera zoomed over a kid pointing his index finger at the sky. Then, on all the monitors all the camera zoomed over the same kid, and then turned up, to the spot he was pointing at.
It’s one of the Strikeforce disc. Standing over, waving at the crowd, is a big, tall and muscular man, square jawed and with black curly hairs. The disc stopped right over Place de la Concorde, where many thousands of people are praying, crying, swearing waiting their demise.
He raises his open hands, signalling to stay calm. Then, he turns his face, theatrically, toward the approaching meteor, now the size of a penny, right at the zenith.
He raises his fist, and the disc began to fly upward, first slowly, then faster and faster, until it disappeared from sight.
On the main Command deck screen, Merlin and his crew, alone in the world, saw what really happened. Frank Mullarney, Hero, disappearing inside the disc, and it flying fast away from the meteor impact. The finger of Merlin going at another button, pressing it. The charges placed over the meteor exploding, sending the rock to dust, easily burned and dissolved by the friction with the atmosphere.
On the many monitors set over world news channels, it was like a big fireworks burned up in the sky.
The people stopped praying and swearing, and began to cry of joy, to dance, to kiss all over the big city.
“Frank, move your ass, you clown. I have gathered all the television of the world down there, now go there and make them LOVE you!” shouted Merlin in the microphone. “You have one hour for them. Then take that damn UFO and go to Mandelovia, there is a real job for you there.”
Then, he turned all the monitor to different channels. Local stations in the USA. He never revealed in advance that there was another meteor to strike Earth, heading for California. Worldwide, all the big networks were expecting something in Paris. Nobody was ready to witness what would happen over Athanon. Now the images are of total destruction. City and villages vanished. Because the meteor strike set in motion the S. Andrea’s fault… causing the biggest earthquake to
hit California since the coming of Columbus. Death and destruction. Everywhere.
Merlin smiled, while Delgado was laughing even louder than before.
Turning toward a technician, Merlin ordered: “Call the White House. I guess now George will be ready to join our club, finally!” He leaned back again, a triumphant smile on his face.
