PART TWO

Ali Basara, age 20, was a member of Al-Qaida for over a year now. He joined for the chance to kill Americans—those godless, sinful infidels who were an affront to the will and ways of Allah. Only 50 kilometers away, across the border, their Taliban allies were killing Americans—lucky them! Ali would give anything to get his hands on one of those vile dogs…

A sudden noise causes Ali to look up just in time to see a masked man dressed in red, white & blue landing on his and his comrade's shoulders. Ali screams in pain as he hears his own collar bone snap, and he heavily slams into the rocky ground—suffering several cuts and contusions. As the gaudy American (who else could it be) pounds his comrade into unconsciousness, Ali desperately crawls to where his AK-47 landed four meters away. At the moment his hand grasps the stock of the rifle, Ali looks back and sees his enemy remove a small black sphere from a compartment on his belt. With a speed that defies description, the sphere is hard thrown before Ali can reach the trigger…

All American Boy pauses to catch his breath. It was good to know that his fighting skills were still sharp, but this heavy breathing afterwards was new since his last time in action. There was no denying it, he was getting too old for this line of work. Perhaps this should be his last sidekick assignment.

As All American Boy securely ties up the two unconscious men, he gives more thought to the idea of retirement. This wasn't a bad assignment to go out on. Seven days ago a U.S. cargo plane was shot down near the border. The Taliban were the first ones to the crash site, and they executed all of the survivors except one—army Brigadier General Alistair Stickler. A tracking device in the heel of the general's boot allowed the military to track the captured general until he entered the inappropriately named Kalvir Valley. The 'valley' was actually a narrow, wildly twisting ravine with sides that rose a mile high on either side with massive overhangs that shaded nearly every step of the way.

General Stickler's tracking beacon was lost the moment he was transported into the valley. Not only did the stone formations block most electronic signals, but a high magnetic ore content interfered miserably with all radio signals. The Kalvir Valley was immune to aerial assaults, and an army couldn't force their way through—for many had tried, going all the way back to Alexander the Great.

After considering every military option, the government turned to its' frequent choice for clandestine missions—Steelskin. In turn, the famed superhero requested the hero-support talents of All American Boy (mostly due to his unique super power). It was considered quite an honor to serve with Steelskin, who had been a major league hero for decades. Although now 72, under his black mask Steelskin remained an unchanging youth of twenty. His invulnerability not only protected him from all harm, it also kept him from aging. Some speculated that Steelskin might even be immortal.

All American Boy tidies up the area by hiding the knocked-out guards far from the trail, and then recovering his equipment from the top of the boulder—especially the stealth suit. All mad science equipment contained a self-destruct mechanism that activated when the user and device were seperated for an hour. If terrorists should ever get their hands on one of Medulla's high tech devices… All American Boy, with one of the AK-47's in hand, takes up his post and continues to guard the trail.

X X X X X

A mile above the city of Maxville, hidden behind an artifical cloud formation, Sky High floats along due to the latest in anti-grav technology. Next to the mad science lab, in his private office, Mr. Medulla glares at Joan Girardi, and she returns the look with equal disfavor. The two had grated on each other from the first moment they met back in '06, and time hasn't changed their oil and water nature. For Medulla it wasn't anything personal. He readily conceded that Joan is an attractive, pleasant young woman who seemed to do a lot of good in the world. No, his grudge against Joan is the frustrasting conundrum she presented. Within his massive bald head was the world's greatest mind, one that specialized in everything related to super powers. No one knew more about the subject than he, and yet, nearly three years after meeting Joan, he still didn't understand this power of Spiritual Discernment--not how it worked, or how the annoying girl had acquired it. Even more frustrating, her power seemed to have evolved to a higher level since their last meeting.

"Let me get this straight, Miss Girardi..."

Joan winces at the sound of Medulla's voice. It has a high-pitched nasal quality--not of cartoonish levels--but still just enough that it always irritated her. Joan's original opinion of Medulla was that he personified arrogance. 'Annoying Jerk' is her most common way of referring to the famed mad science expert. But why did he disturb her so much? The world was full of annoying jerks.

Medulla continues, "You say these beings, 'Grim Reapers', steal people's souls, but they aren't villains?"

Joan sighs. For the world's smartest man, Medulla could be amazingly slow on the up-take. She explains again...

"Reapers don't steal souls, they rescue them. When a person is about to suffer a sudden violent death, a Reaper will, if he can get to the victim in time, remove the soul first so the person doesn't have to experience the trauma of their demise. If they can't get to the victim in time, then they release the soul from the corpse so that it can go on to its' final destination."

"And you say these Reapers are themselves dead?"

"Undead. They died but were incarnated in new forms--at least to the rest of the world. Amongst themselves they still appear as they did when they were alive. Look, is any of this important? You have the proof before you."

Medulla picks up the two smoothed out post-it notes and smiles. "These are hardly a Q.E.D. of what you are saying. Both read: A.A. Boy, with his new address and two different times, 4:56 p.m. and 8:48 a.m. Why the difference?"

"Each is a scheduled time for Mr. Boy's death by accident. There's probably a third post-it somewhere in the sewer with another time stamped on it. Those post-its are the way a Reaper gets his assignment from his supervisor. The only reason Mr. Boy isn't already dead is because Tommy was imitating him at the same time as Mr. Boy's hiding in the stealth suit you told us about. That caused enough confusion to keep him alive, but if Tommy drops his disguise, or all American Boy steps out of that suit, then within 24 hours, he will die."

Jetstream says, "Unless we save him."

Joan shakes her head. "It's not that simple. There are spiritual rules involved, and dire consequences if you break them. I'm not sure why Mr. Boy has been repeatedly scheduled to die, but preventing it has many risks. First, there will be a scheduled time and place for his 'accidental' death--duly arranged by a graveling. We have no way of knowing when or where that is, and any action on our part could simply ensure Mr. Boy's making it to that appointment. It's sort of a destiny thing."

Jetstream asks, "But doesn't the Reaper know? Why can't they help if they're not villains?"

"Because they understand the rules. If Mr. Boy fairly makes it to his appointment, even if you prevent the death of his physical body, his soul will still die within him. Jonathan Boy's body will live out its' natural life span, but his soul will slowly rot during those years. He will be a mere shell of his former self--an emotionless, joyless thing that will inevitably go mad. No one should have to endure that."

Jetstream turns her head away and shudders. Softly she responds, "I know you're trying to help Joan, but at this moment, I wish I had never met you."

"I...understand. I'm sorry to bring you such bad news."

Medulla says, "Wait, you said if Jonathan makes it to his appointed time and place. What if we can prevent that?"

"Then Jonathan Boy, body and soul, will go on with the rest of his normal life the same as if none of this had happened."

Jetstream and Medulla smile with relief.

Medulla says, "Why didn't you say so? That will be our goal. Somehow, we will achieve this."

"Except..."

Medulla groans.

Joan starts again. "Except, there are consequences when you interfere with fate, and there's no way to know what that spin of the wheel of fortune may bring."

Jetstream asks, "How bad could it be in comparison to saving Jonathan's life?"

Joan shrugs. "There's no way to know how mild or extreme those consequences may be. It's like throwing a rock into a pond--the ripples, good and bad, go where they may, and affect an unknown number of lives. An example: a Reaper I know, a girl named George, when she was new at her job tried to prevent a scheduled death. A corporate executive was scheduled to meet with his R & D guys, and on the way back to his office, he was suppose to have a fatal accident. George kept the guy busy with some cock and bull story until the executive completely missed the meeting. The executive lived, but because of that missed meeting, a highly defective product was shipped to the stores, and nearly a hundred people died. Needless to say, George learned her lesson after that."

Medulla asks, "Miss Girardi, are you asking us to simply let Jonathan die?"

"No. I realize it's not in the nature of superheroes to just stand by and do nothing. In a way, you people defy fate all the time. I just wanted you to fully understand the risks involved."

Medulla nods. "Very well then, let us proceed quickly, but with all due caution. Jonathan has accompanied Steelskin on a mission to rescue a captured army general held in the Kalvir Valley, just across the Pakistan border. The Kalvir Valley is the ultimate communications dead zone. Not even our high-tech equipment can get signals in and out of there."

Jetstream remarks, "That explains why Jonathan was chosen as Steelskin's sidekick."

Joan asks, "What does that mean?"

"Jonathan's superpower is a type of...radio telepathy. He can mentally interface with any time of communication equipment--cell phones, radios, fax machines, computers, etcetera--and send messages."

"Only send?"

"Yes, it's one way only. It's how All American Boy once saved The Commander's life. Steve and Jonathan were captured by a super villain named Royal Pain, but Steve was too stubborn and proud to ask anyone for help. Fortunately, Jonathan ignored The Commander's instruction not to call for help, and sent an S.O.S. to the mayor, who in turn called on me as the closest available superhero. After I helped Steve escape, and Royal Pain was...dealt with, The Commander and I began our life journey as a couple..."

Medulla adds, "Getting back to the mission, if they manage to rescue the general with his head still attached, they will need a fast exit from the valley. Helicopters can't make it into the valley due to the narrow twisting rock formations, and the dangerous winds. However, the military has a system where an individual wears a harness with an immensely long cable attached. A balloon raises the cable high into the air and a specially equipped plane snatches the cables, lifts the man off the ground and reels him into the plane. Since the enemy has a large supply of surface to air missles available, only one attempt can be risked."

Joan comments, "And it's All American Boy's job to inform the Air Force of the right moment for the attempt. It sounds daring and dangerous. In fact, it sounds like you would have been a better choice for Steelskin's partner, Jetstream."

Jetstream bitterly replies, "I'd be the last person that man would ask for help."

"Whoa, sounds like I hit a nerve."

Jetstream heavily sighs. "Joan, this is strictly off the record. what the public doesn't know is that the superhero community has been as bitterly divided over the war as the nation. By international agreements, superheroes are forbidden to take part in foreign wars. Every nation has some super powered people, and the spectre of such beings joining into modern warfare was too ghastly for even the most radical nations to contemplate. Once the Bush administration began invading countries, most American and Allied superheroes agreed we had to follow international law and have kept a hands-off approach. I was a leader amongst those pushing for the traditional respect for the rule of law."

"But Steelskin disagreed?"

"Vehemently. He and a small cadre of like-minded superheroes have been actively participating in the war--although, most of the time they do it in a clandestine manner."

"How can they get away with breaking the law?"

"There are exceptions written into the international agreements. A superhero may defend his nation from spies, saboteurs and assasins. They may also track down wanted war criminals, traitors and crooks like black market operators, kidnappers and so on."

"If that's what Steelskin has been doing, then he has my salute."

"That's how it started, but he and his followers have declared all enemy combatants criminals, and they are routinely breaking the established laws governing warfare. They have violated the neutrality of peacful nations, they have kidnapped countless people and have thrown them into secret prisons without due process of law, and there have been continuing reports of routine torture and assasination."

Joan gulps. "Assasination? But isn't the number one rule for superheroes to never deliberately kill anyone?"

"Yes, but Steelskin has been bending that rule for decades. Usually by claiming an accidental death during a super powered battle... Which does happen. Even The Commander had a death on his record until we learned the villain we thought had been obliterated was still alive."

"Okay, I get that, but deliberate murder is a whole other story. How can the government allow Steelskin and friends to get away with this?"

Medulla snorts derisively. "Allow? They did more than that. For the last eight years the government has been encouraging and even directing Steelskin's activities. Although, now that the new administration has taken over, the atmosphere has changed. Steelskin and comrades have had to cut back their operations to practically nothing. This rescue has been the only officially sanctioned mission since the new President took office."

Jetstream adds, "And now we have to join in that mission if we are to save Jonathan and minimize the resulting...um, bad ripples? Medulla, we will need two new stealth suits. Joan and I are leaving at once for the Kalvir valley."

Joan briefly looks heavenward and suppresses an urge to groan.

TBC Please review.

(Information about gravelings and Reapers comes directly from the show, Dead Like Me.)