CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN DC:FS
Created by Mark Peyton
Written by Mark Peyton & Robin Sutton
Edited by Mark Peyton & Robin Sutton
ISSUE ONE: LATE BREAKING NEWS
"Continuing our documentary on the Infinity Corp. The team went through a troubled period after the accident that killed Flint. Cracks started to appear and the group went their separate ways. Hitman disappeared from sight, Flamebird swore never to fly again, while Lightning attempted to take part in Olympic competition. Comet has become linked with various vigilante groups, most recently in Fawcett City. Moonwing was killed in a gang incident in Chicago two years ago. And nothing has been heard of Thunder and Arikal. Lantern X and Scattershot meanwhile attempted to keep the Corp flying until the tragic death yesterday of Scattershot in a mid-air collision. How this will affect the group remains to be seen. This is Linda Trainor, hoping that this is not the last report she makes on this remarkable team."
Will Kalmaku watched the vidscreen as a montage of clips played past. The Speed records, Calcutta race, the Washington show: they all merged together as the clips ended on one final image - Scattershot's plane engulfed by flames. It was an image he didn't need to be reminded of. He could see it every time he closed his eyes. He sat slumped back in Carters, a Twentieth Century theme bar in Opal City. It had been their haunt when they'd been younger. When they'd been the great Infinity Corp. They'd been so famous that they'd done action figures, though he'd always felt they'd got his nose wrong. At least the good thing about the hype going away was they'd stopped playing that blasted theme tune.
In his mind he wandered through some of the stunts he and Scattershot used to pull. It had started in one game of chicken. The difference being they used aircraft. When it became clear that neither of them would give in, it became a challenge to get as close as possible without collision. That's what he didn't understand about Scattershot's death. He'd never crashed in his life. He was too precise. Unfortunately, any evidence there was had been scattered across two counties, and was badly burnt. He sipped his drink and waited for the others to arrive.
**********
Comet swooped over the heads of the muggers. "Nice trick," he thought to himself, "Using biowires to swing down from the rooftops and pick off their prey." But he was here to stop that. That was what he did. His jumpsuit was attached to a short pair of wings that extended from his flight harness. The shots bounced harmlessly off them as he hit out with his club. He caught one mugger, sending him spiralling upwards wrapped in the wire. The victim scurried out of the way as Comet activated the cutter on his left arm, slicing through the wire, sending the shooter crashing to the ground. Flying down to check he was unconscious, Alan flew up and collected the other would-be assailant. Using his own binder, he tied the two up and took out his "stamp," aimed it at the one who shot at him and tagged him with his Comet emblem. Nodding to the victim he flew upwards. This wasn't why he was in Opal - they have their own heroes for this. He wasn't here as Comet. He was here as Alan Carmichael, whose friend died yesterday. "I wonder if Joel is going to be here?" thinking of his older brother. He sped up his flight harness, as it hummed its alien tune to him.
**********
David Fox glanced at his watch. It was 4.40. He was due in Opal no later than 5.00, and here he was sat in a bar in Washington. "No time for subtlety, this is a time for speed." he thought. Of course, this meant speeding from a stop to near Mach 1, and accelerating. He'd learned not to break the sound barrier in cities. It didn't make him very popular, and if they could prove it was him, then he generally received a court order prohibiting him from the city's limits. Not that he went this fast normally, it took too much out of him, but he did indulge himself occasionally, on important occasions. He headed close to Opal's outer limits slowing, dodging the mundane motorists. He should be on time. Good - he needed the help of his friends.
**********
Natasha Rice moved along the pedway two stories above the bar where she was to meet the others. She walked slowly, her hood over her face. She wasn't sure how she was going to cope seeing them again. She'd had no contact with them since Moonwing's funeral two years ago, until Will had dialled late yesterday. Alan had tried to contact her, but she'd left his messages unanswered. She hated Dialscreens showing any caller her face, and used them as little as possible. Still, she had to be here for Scattershot. Flint would have wanted her to do this. Strange how she called some by their names and others by their flightnames. She'd have to ask Will if he did the same.
**********
David strolled into the bar and headed straight for Will. "I see you've bagged the old spot. You know, we're needing fewer chairs these days"
Will looked up "I know. Thunder told me where to get off yesterday, so I guess we're going to have to miss his delightful company. How are you, David?"
David smiled. "Knackered. I had to run here and it takes it out of me." He pulled out a chair and slumped into it. "Give me a while and I'll be running rings around you again."
Will nodded. "I'm sure you will. Now, don't you go baiting Alan. I don't want to have to stop a fight today, and Tasha isn't going to take any shit from either of you. You know that."
David shrugged "I know. I was always unsure who wore the flightpants between Flint and Tasha. Even before..." he paused "... she was always hardnosed. Can I bait Alan a little? He's so easy to set off."
"David, no! I'm not having it today. If you want to start, you can leave."
At that point Natasha walked in, her hood still up. She made her way over to the two. "David. Will. How are you?"
Will stood up, pulling out a chair for her. "Fine, Tasha. You?"
"As well as can be expected. Are we the only ones coming?" She said, sitting down slowly.
"No. Alan said he was coming. Thunder said ... Well you can guess what he said. Arikal is still nowhere to be found and Joel - well he's probably knee deep in some mess of his own making. I left a message, so we'll see." Will sat back down pressing the switch on the table. A robowaiter arrived. In perfect synthesised English it said "What would sir/madam like to order?"
They ordered their drinks and sat quietly avoiding the conversation about Scattershot until Comet arrived. He walked into the bar laden with a large bag, which he placed out of sight quickly. He nodded "Sorry I'm late. Spot of mugging."
David grinned. "How much did you make?" Will shot him a hard stare, and the grin faded slightly.
The others all nodded. Natasha asked him "What do you want to drink?"
And there they sat - four extraordinary people. The subject of many documentaries, an ill-advised cartoon and a truly appalling theme song. Three men and one woman were all that remained of the Infinity Corp.
David Fox was a man of medium build and height. Not devastatingly handsome, he would have been overlooked if not for his personality. And the fact that he was now one of the fastest people on the planet. Alan Carmichael was broader, a classic set jaw, and his dark hair cut short. His clothes hid the scars he'd gained from his chosen role - that of a vigilante. Natasha Rice wore a simple coat and cloak that placed most of her face in shadow. Once the premier female pilot in the country, if not the world, she now was visibly upset even being on a plane, never mind flying one. Her classic looks were marred by the burns across her face, but her fiery personality still shone through. And Will Kalmaku, Lantern X, the founder of the Corp. A man that many would call hero, inspired to fly by his grandfather's friend. His Eskimo heritage still showed but his pleasant face was capped off by piercing blue eyes. His best feature, if you were to believe the many magazines where he appeared in the most eligible bachelor columns.
The four sat and talked of old stunts, harebrained jobs that had led into danger and old friends. All the men were careful of upsetting Natasha, and she knew it. David would start on a reminiscence designed to provoke Alan and Will would step in. It was like nothing had changed, but the numbers of them present. They'd sat in silence as the news once again played the footage of Scattershot's death, and again they were quiet as the news announced the sighting of a new Starman for Opal. They looked at Alan who threw his hands up in the air "Not guilty. I've got my own identity. I don't need to take anyone else's."
And as they talked the other three all became aware that Lightning was strangely subdued, until Will turned to him and asked "David - what is the matter?"
David smiled and said "I never could hide anything from you. I've got a favour to ask.... of all of you."
The three waited, and Will pushed the issue "Go on."
"I don't know if you all met my kid sister Susan." Blank looks from all present. "She had a lot of problems coping with Mom's death. I didn't realise how bad at the time. I wasn't around. I mean this was when I was trying to get into the Olympics." The others all smiled at this. David nodded his head "Well - it was worth a try. Anyway, she seems to have become involved in some sort of sect or other and I'm worried. She's not allowed any contact with the outside world, and I've heard some fairly scary stories about the cult."
Natasha looked at him "Which one?"
David sipped his drink "She's a member of the Golden Tide. Don't ask me how."
Alan looked at him incredulous "They're a bunch of lunatics. I've heard all sorts of supposed ritual murders connected back to them."
David turned to him "I know. Why the hell do you think I'm so worried? I need your help. All your help. I maybe fast but no way can I do half the stuff we can do when we work together."
Will propped his head against his hand and closed his eyes "Of course we'll help, David. We're your friends. I guess we'll have to get ourselves reorganised if the Infinity Corp is back in business. Everyone in?" He opened his eyes.
Alan nodded and Natasha did too, a little slower.
"Then we're agreed. OK - lets start talking business."
NEXT ISSUE
The Infinity Corp go shopping in their own inimitable fashion.
Robin's Note:
Guys, I did little here. Almost all of this is down to Mark, mainly because I came on board with COTU very late. As time goes on, you'll see that I'm doing more and more though. Like Starman this series is a reissue of the old DCF series of the same name. All those who wanted to know where the series was going (and indeed, the second series is already boiling away inside our heads) must read on! And those of you who've read it before - sssshhhh!
See you next time!
Robin