Sorry for the long wait, but the last exams are coming and I wasn't able to write anything. And everyday I was having new ideas and I didn't know how to put them together. Thanks for the patience, now enjoy the first part of the 1st episode of Loonatics Unleashed- White Jaws!

Vigilante

On the 134th floor of the highest tower of Acmetropolis the Loonatics were called by their boss and founder Zadavia in the meeting room. They were Ace Bunny, Lexi Bunny, Danger Duck, Slam the Tazmanian, Rev Runner and Tech E Coyote.

Zadavia: Loonatics, we have a problem. There has been an increasingly number of crimes in the city this the last week.

Ace Bunny the leader of the group was a bit confused.

Ace: Are we talking about common criminals or special-powered ones?

Zadavia: That's the thing Ace, we don't know for sure. At first I didn't put much thought into it because it wasn't your jurisdiction, but than I noticed something strange. These crimes are made by people that one minute are ordinary, the next they have super powers and the other they're back to normal.

Tech: Now that is odd.

Lexi: I'll say.

Duck: Let me guess boss lady, you want us to go and capture those delinquents. Sorry, but I'm not wasting my precious time and talent for a few common criminals.

Zadavia: I'll overlook this comment of yours only because that wont be your duty. Those criminals have already been taken into custody.

Ace: Let me guess. There's more in this story that meets the eye, right?

Zadavia: Much more Ace. When the autorities searched these people they found two strange things on them, that are present on all of them.

She turned to the screens and activated them to show to items side by side.

Zadavia: The first thing they found was a black thorn behind every culprit's neck. The next was a tuft of white fur on their clothes, near the claw-marks made on them.

Lexi: Claw-marks? You mean, these people have been attacked by an animal? Like a cat or a dog?

Zadavia: I don't think a stray cat can do slashes this big Lexi.

The screen showed a T-shirt with six slashes 4 inches long. The Loonatics were shocked by the size of those claw marks. Duck was starting to have cold sweats.

Slam: Very big marks!

Duck: Eheh, looks like someone fed his pet very well. Grown big and strong I see.

Tech: Duck, I don't think we are dealing with a house pet. We're talking about wild animals.

Ace: But the question is what wild animal could have made those marks.

Rev: Well there are only few wild animals with paws big enough to make claw marks like those, like a greasly bear or a big cat. But I don't think it's a bear because their paws are made more for smashing then slashing, so it must be a really big cat. But there are many kinds of big cats. We have lion, jaguars, pumas, panthers, cheetahs, leopards and many more. But as far as I know the biggest wild cat ever recorded in nature is…

Tech: The Bengal Tiger! Of course!

Lexi: I heard about these animals, they're on top of nature's food-chain. The only creature they fear is man.

Ace: Exactly! But I heard that these tigers have been poaching's victims from a long time. I thought they were exinct.

Tech: Not exactly Ace. Many of these tigers have been rescued and took to safety in a secret place were the government hoped to rebuilt their numbers before setting them free. According to these data this project has increased the number of specimens from few hundreds to several thousands.

Duck: "gulp" But aren't tigers usually recorded as man-eaters?

Tech: True, but these episodes happened because humans hunted the same preys as tiger and tigers are very territorials. They don't like when another hunter is in their territory. You can guess what happens if they cross paths.

Ace: Zadavia, where these people wounded?

Zadavia: Nothing more than bruises and bumps, Ace. If this tiger attacks them it's not for hurting them. I just received a fottage from a security camera close to the last attack.

The screen powered up again. It showed a man breaking into a jewellery with a crowbar and coming out minutes later with a large bag. But as he was about to turn the corner a huge thing slammed into him and disappeared into an alley.

The Loonatics were shocked, not only because they saw the size of that thing but by the speed of it. Duck was so scared he hid himself under the table shaking like a leaf. Rev wasn't so far behind.

Tech: Impossible! That thing was nearly as big as a greasly bear and yet it was as fast as a cheetah! How can it be?!

Ace: I don't know Tech, but it's not over yet. Look.

The video changed prospective. The man was on his back struggling against the huge animal that kept him pinned to the ground with its paws while growling at him. The man tried to fight but the creature pushed him down hard enought to make him loose consciousness.

Now the creature was clearly visible: a huge tiger, standing 3.6 feet, white as snow with ice blue eyes. Once it was sure the man was unconscious it got off him and took off in the alley disappearing.

Ace: Looks like our big cat got out of it's cage.

Tech: It's amaizing! That was a rare example of stripeless white tiger.

Lexi: I've never seen a tiger without stripes.

Zadavia: For now I ask you to gather informations about this tiger. Find where she hides and if there's someone else pulling the strings.

Duck: "trembling" Must we? What if it decides to make a banquet out of us!?

Zadavia: You must, if you want to get to the bottom of this mistery. Zadavia out!

Once the hologram was shut down the team exchanged worried looks.


The Loonatics gathered in the living room to decide the course of actions.

Duck: Ace, I hope you're not planning to catch that tiger. Once we find her we'll be digested before we can blink.

Ace: Chill out, Duck. I don't plan to. You heard Zadavia, we have to gather information, not go hunting. Let's recap what we know so far. Anybody?

Rev: So, first: there's an encreasing number of crimes in the city this week; second: the responsible are common people that get temporary powers; third: these people are instantly stopped by a huge white Bengal tiger who seems to be playing vigilante; fourth: this tiger disappears after knocking uncounscious the coulprits. I don't know you guys but it seems that someone is using this tiger to fight crime.

Ace: Thanks for the summary Rev, and I agree. Someone is playing vigilante.

Lexi: But usually vigilantes are known by the news. There is no knowlegde about how the culprits are found and taken in custody.

Slam: Police may know!

Ace: You're right Slam, the police may know something more. Time to pay a visit to our colleagues. Let's jet!


After putting on their jetpacks the Loonatics left their headquarter and flew to the police station were a detective was waiting for them.

Detective: I'm surprised that you're interested in these cases Loonatics, though I can understand. These situations are anything but normal.

Ace: What can you tell us about the culprits?

Detective: I must admit that I'm quite confused about them myself. Seeing them right now you wouldn't think they are criminals. Once they found out they're in jail, they panic and ask why they are there. It's like they don't know what happened.

Tech: Temporary amnesia?

Ace: Maybe. After all they were knocked unconscious.

Detective: We thought so too, at the start. But after a week time they still can't remember committing any crime. When they were interrogated they all said the same thing: one minute they're doing their normal activities, then they black out and wake up in jail with a big headache.

Tech: And what about the clues found on them? Have you run any test?

Detective: Right now we are studying the hair found on their clothes. We know for sure it's fur from some kind of animal, but still don't know which one.

Duck: Maybe it's just from their house cat? I heard that white cats are of high fashion.

Ace: Let's let Tech have a look at it. I bet he can strip all the information we need from it, right Tech?

Tech: Child's play! May I, detective?

Detective: Of course. This way.

The detective led them to the evidence storage where on a table there was a box labeled "case 6". The detective opened the box and pull out a vial with white hair in it.

Detective: This is one of the many samples we gathered. As you can see is still sealed.

Ace: Go on Tech.

Tech took a gadget from his pocket and pressing a button it turned into a scanner complete with database and keyboard. Taking a pair of tweezers he took the hair out of the vial and put it on the scanner activating it. In ten seconds the scan was over and the result appeared.

Tech: Bingo! According to this these hair belongs to our mysterious tiger. Now we know for sure that tiger is responsible for stopping these people.

Detective: Did you say tiger?!

Ace: Yeah. It seems that there's a white Bengal tiger that is trained to pounce on criminals and knock them unconscious before the cops gets there.

Detective: That might explain a lot. Ever since these crimes started we heard many people saying they heard a animal roaring around the crime scenes. We thought they misinterpret the sound of a loud engine. Now I know they were right.

Lexi: Say, I've got a question. Apart from the tiger what else do these places have in common?

Ace: Rev can you give us map showing the exact place of these attacks?

Rev focused and from his red triangle appeared a map with seven dots signing the places where the criminals were found. The seven dots were all focus around an area that seemed to be blank. Not a building, road or light rod was signed. Just a big ball of nothing.

Lexi: It seems that these crimes happened around this area.

Detective: it wouldn't surprise me. I recognize that area. It's the Black Quadrant.

Duck: Black Quadrant? Never heard of it.

Ace: Doesn't surprise me. The Black Quadrant is the only quadrant in all Acmetropolis completely in the dark.

Duck: You mean they never pay the light bill?

Tech: No Duck. What he means is that there is no informations about that place. It's completely out of every jurisdiction.

Rev: You mean no cameras, no police, no politic, no hospital, no nothing? They just keep for themselves?

Tech: Exactly. The only people that know that place are the ones that live there. And even they keep for themselves. No one dares talk to them, they're scared of them.

Detective: We noticed only one who goes in and out of there daily, but no one knows exactly who it is. The only thing we know is that it's anthropomorphic cat with white fur.

Ace gathered the information before his eyes went wide.

Ace: Does this cat go to the southern quadrant daily?

Detective: Yes it does, but we don't know exactly.

Ace: Then we're in luck, cause I do. I know who it is and were to find it. Loonatics, let's jet.


As soon as Ace spoke the Loonatics put on their jetpacks and followed Ace to the southern quadrant.

Lexi: So Ace, will this friend of yours be able to help us?

Ace: "Be able" yes, "will" not sure.

Lexi: Why?

Ace: Well, we lost contact when I decided to follow a movie career as stunt-rabbit. Then the meteor hit and I didn't see her since.

Duck: Her? Your friend is a girl? An old flame?

Ace glared at him.

Ace: She is my mentor. She taught me all my moves. but you're right we weren't just friends. She's like a sister to me. She took me in when I was helpless.

Lexi: Sounds like a nice girl.

Ace: Not really. She was nice only to me. She doesn't usually talk to other people.

Duck: Changing subject, where exactly are we going?

Ace: To a gym called Tiger Temple in the southern quadrant.

Tech: She has her own gym? She must be very successful.

Ace. She's very strict and very few people ask her to teach them.

The conversation stopped when Ace spotted the gym ahead of them.

Ace: Alrighty gang, we're here.

Once landed they were about to go through the door when Lexi's ears started glow.

Lexi: Guys, move!

A man literally flew out of the door and landed painfully on the floor. Tech run to help him stand up.

Tech: Are you ok?

Man: "looking around fearfully" Monsters... lots of them... they're gonna kill us!

Ace: Chill out doc. What monsters?

Man: "points the gym" In there! Swarms of them... with teeth and claws.. Run for your lives! "Runs away screaming"

The Loonatics stood confused for a moment until they hear sounds of fighting from inside the gym.

Lexi: I don't know if there are monsters, but something inside really scared that man.

Ace: Time to find out. Let's jet!

The Loonatics rushed inside the gym only to be greeted by a unbelievable sight. Hundreds of black, scaled creatures with red eyes, sharp teeth, long claws and quills on their back hissing, snarling and attaching everything in their path. It was like stepping in the king of all nightmares. The Loonatics's eyes were wide open in fright.

Ace: Oh man, if these aren't the freakiest monsters i've ever seen, I don't know what they are!

To be continued