Alberto was a professional. He worked as a camera man for over twenty years and his experience showed itself. Despite the panic, he kept the large TV camera trained on the Supreme Leader.
The foreign leader was smiling as he walked over to their screaming president. The chubby man was hamming it up.
The Supreme Leader made eye contact with him, and then the camera. The massive lens allowed for a smooth zoom in. The smile, the enigmatic eyes that were currently sparkling.
Luis stopped yelling in confusion. What was the man doing?
Then the Supreme Leader pulled out a small object from his pocket. It looked like a can of Frescolita?
“In trying times, we need to focus Luis. Your childish screaming is not helping anyone,” the man shook his head as he popped the can open.
There was a electric pop, and the can discharged.
Alberto blinked as he saw the studio’s power flicker. The camera luckily didn’t lose power, but the lights closest to the pair did turn turn off. Then turn on.
Luis screamed as if he was being stabbed.
The older man wasn’t exactly frail, as he was more chubby then anything else, but the kick shocked him.
It was a horse like kick, but the shocking part was that it was able to launch the Supreme Leader across the set. He got caught by his ever present metahuman.
The red headed woman was hugging her commander close to her chest as she floated backwards. Her eyes began to glow as her anger became visible.
Luis’s screams did not stop. They in fact grew in pitch.
Alberto couldn’t help himself. He was a professional. He zoomed in.
President Luis Gonzalez had his face in his hands. At least parts of it in hands.
Like a melting candle, his cheeks were dropping into the man’s palms. He pushed them up, as if he was trying to push them back into place.
Alberto moved his camera. Supreme Leader seemed fine, aside from that unnatural and powerful kick. The man was now on his two feet, brushing off his clothes. The man was fine.
Alberto moved the camera back. Luis had changed. In the thirty seconds he had turned the camera away and back, Luis had changed.
How?
Alberto's eyes widened as the realization dawned on him.
Luis Gonzalez was not Luis Gonzalez. The man's hair had fallen out. His cheeks, now moving on their own and remolding itself into a far more angular man.
The chubby frame was gone, and he had grown taller? The screams had changed into growls.
This new man was staring at his guest in horror. The man’s brown eyes were now white. A most unnatural color.
“No need to scream, it's just a EMP grenade,” the Supreme Leader stated as he walked back to his seat and sat down. "It doesn't do anything to humans."
Alberto zoomed out, showing the two people. The red head and that masked blond were now standing beside the Supreme Leader.
“You…” The stranger began.
“Are showing your true colors, Luis… or should I say Zartan?” the smug tone was thick.
Alberto took a moment to show them both before zooming into this Zartan. The name sounded familiar. Wasn’t that a commander of the terrorist organization, Cobra?
—
I stared at the man. Our eyes locked and I saw a level of anger that shocked me. The fact that he had not ignited was a miracle.
“How?” Zartan growled out between his clenched teeth.
I smiled. The combination of Sofia’s newfound network, and Logan’s old network proved to be powerful. It was easy to dig up some deep cesspools of information.
Cobra had been in the country for over a decade. They were responsible for an increase for weapon and drug trafficking.
Turns out they were not exactly subtle. It was impossible to hide large scale operation for long periods of time. Though they were clever enough to try to decentralize their operations.
Emma Frost, not to be outdone, went out for a walk with her protegee. She then returned later with a heap of information. Solid information like Luis was a shape changing human. Luis was not Luis. Luis was a asshole.
Luis was also not a mutant. Though it wasn't a secret that Cobra dabbled with experimental nanotech.
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A little EMP would tickle them. Tickle them with fire, but they would recover fast. The downtime would correlate with the power of the EMP blast.
“Really Zartan, your operation has been ongoing for years. You slipped up a few times, and got caught. We kept it close to our hearts until we saw your master plan,” I stood up as I saw the Baroness enter.
She had ditched her formal suit for a leather onesie. The fact that it hugged her curves only made her happier. She worked hard to maintain her figure, and was not shy about showing it off.
The nanotech didn’t quite give her abilities like the Super Soldier serum, but what did? The nanotech supplemented her training to beyond peak human performance. As well as made her resistant to anything below sonic grade bullets.
She also didn’t look pleased with the situation.
The two of them glaring at me only made my pleasure grow. It was nice to be proactive for once.
—
Kara eyed the two uzis in the Baroness’s hands. The extended clip made them look comical. Her eyes switched to X-ray vision, and she saw that the internals. The bullets inside were smaller then what most military used. Less power, more bullets in the air.
They could push out a lot of bullets, but lacked power. Especially against her toughened physic on this planet.
Her research into super heroics also included common weapons and their workings. She had been looking into doing more for the world.
Kal had shown her that her powers could do great things on this planet. He was also far from ecstatic about her pursuit of super heroics.
The rougher lifestyle that super heroics entailed was something he disliked. It was not something he wanted foisted onto her.
This in turn drew her towards Val Verde. She glanced at the man sitting beside her. His smile bemused as he stared at the two infamous super villains before him.
His confidence was clear to her. He trusted Kori, and herself. Trusted that her powers was more then enough to keep him safe.
If he hadn’t asked that they allow him to get hurt, Kori would have ripped off his leg. The girl was not shy to violence, but she was.
Kara had grown up understanding that violence was a thing. Her life was sheltered between time at the home and the various schools.
She felt torn here. The emotions of knowing she could solve problems, and the methods to solve them were not simple, or equal.
Johnny was as extreme as Kal. He did not shy away from violent answers, while Kal refused to take a life. Two different outcomes to any potential problems.
She understood that desire to preserve life. She had heard stories of how Kori needed to kill others. The Tamaranean didn’t enjoy it, but neither would she shy away from it.
She believed that a Queen needed to be firm. She needed to act as necessary.
Kori often said that Johnny was a King. He could not be soft towards those who broke his rules. The people needed guidance, and firmness.
Kal said that he needed to be firm and guide those with his actions.
Then she heard it. A scream of an injured person.
Kara turned her head, and focused. She switched back to regular vision, but it took a bit of time to switch. Her vision swept through the walls and out to the outside world.
Who screamed? There!
A woman was biting the shoulders of another woman. Val Verde soldiers were running up to the pair to separate them.
BOOM!
Plaster fell from the new hole in the ceiling. The fading daylight was faint and the sounds of terror poured in.
Kara whipped her head back. She saw that the two Cobra leaders had blown a hole through the ceiling, and at some point, equipped jet packs.
“I hope you enjoy your present, Supreme Leader. If you are lucky, you will get some very special bonuses!” Zartan hollered as he flew up and away.
“Girls, please go out and help the citizens. I don’t know what they set off, and I doubt its safe for anyone,” Johnny said as he stood up.
Candice and Fenris were behind them, and Vice-Captain Enrico Marini was there.
Kori flew up first, and Kara followed. They sped through the door sized gap in the ceiling, and out into a city in chaos.
The encroaching night was back lit by fire, and people running around. Some screamed because of fear, others screamed because as they ran down others.
Kara watched as another person bit into a fellow human. This was not right. The biter was aiming for that woman’s throat!
She swept in and separated them.
The biter only snarled and tried to leap at her.
Kara dodged, but the biter only snarled as he landed face first into the ground.
He stood up, face scrapped up, and his left eye dangling. He didn’t seem to mind as he tried to lunge again.
She didn't have time for this. She need to find a hospital for the injured. The injured…
The victim, a woman, stood up and began to walk towards her. The fact that the woman’s throat got pierced through didn’t seem to affect her.
Kara’s eyes widened as she floated away.
All around her was moments like these. She stalled as indecision racked her mind.
What was she supposed to do?
“With Zartan getting revealed as a fake Luis Gonzalez, we can assume that he got killed long ago. As such, I the Supreme Leader, annexing this city.”
Her ear piece came to life as Johnny began to broadcast on both his private and public lines.
Kara looked into the news station and saw him talking to the TV cameras.
—
I stared into the large lenses of the camera. So much like what we had back home, but these were much newer. Larger.
“All citizens will stay inside, and tie up any injured people. Medical services will get escorted to any emergency calls. This seems to be the results of a biological or chemical agent. The symptoms include people to go crazy and attack anyone nearby. Biting others, or getting bitten, will result in infections.”
Sue was speaking to me on my own ear piece. She relayed the critical data in very simple terms. She was great like that.
I was sure that it was the T-Virus. Though I couldn't be sure. This world was different on so many levels that sometimes I got headaches thinking about it.
I sat tall and proud as I faced the town. The country. The people would need to see me a strong leader. People would fall in line, at least for now.
“I am bringing in the military might of Val Verde. These soldiers in Green or White will secure the city. We will ensure that these infected people will not be able to roam, and harm others. Val Verde will relinquish control after this situation settles, and I return home.”
I smiled for the camera. A softer smile.
With this, the portals on the Mansion grounds would be at full power. Allowing the ready soldiers to pour through, and then into the town.
The high pitched whine of the Pelican engines could already be heard. They would start dropping off soldiers and vehicles.
The Rabbit Legion would also be heading in. The white colored soldiers would be taking control of the small city. The Jade Falcons locked down the downtown area.
“If you are in desperate straights, please make your way to us. We will protect you, though you will be bound and tied up. For safety of course.”
I smiled as I stared at the only other sitting person.
The shell shocked gaze of News Anchor Virginia Rodriguez stared at the camera. Her mind was still processing.
Alberto zoomed out as a line of green power armored soldiers marched in.
He thought it was odd that they seemed so oppressive when he first saw them. Now they seemed so reliable as they secured the room.
"Please stay tuned as we will continue to keep you all updated," I smiled and waved at the camera.
————
Chapter 34: Breaking News