Captain Marvel: The Power of Shazam! #7

By George Jones


15,000ft above Arizona

USAF Airspace

Roscoe Hynes wrestled with the joystick of the hypersonic jet, the Boeing X35-J as it darted through the hot summer skies. Sweat began to form at Hynes' collar as the fight to keep the jet steady was becoming a very difficult task. The sun glared off the cockpit's canopy and into Hynes' flight goggles, sparks began to fly off the jets control board. Roscoe took one hand off the joystick and patted them down frantically but as he did the joystick jolted to the side causing the aircraft to begin to spin in an uncontrollable barrel role. Hynes quickly clamped both hands around the joystick and heaved it back to the centre. He refused to slow down, he had almost reached Mach 7. Then he hit it, Hynes was knocked back in his flight chair as the jet flew straight into the energy field barrier; the speed force. The controls went dead as a surge of bright yellow electricity consumed the jet like the tentacles of an octopus. Hynes felt the surge of energy coarse through his body, it felt like a bubble around him.

BOOM! The hypersonic engine erupted in a gulf of flames, the jets fuselage was ripped from the engine from the explosion.

Mount Parnassus

Delphi, Greece

The hulking frame of Atlas sat next to the small marble table. The Greek Titan turned his head and gazed down the side of the mountain and down at the sanctuary of Apollo. His skin glowed, his blue eyes shone like a beacon of tranquillity and peace. The immortal turned his head back around to face Diana of Themyscira who sat opposite him, behind her stood Captain Marvel. Atlas shifted his eyes onto the Captain and eyed him up and down. Billy tensed his brow back at him in return.

"Lady Diana tell me, what do I get in return for helping you and your 'friend' out with this 'Teth Adam'?" Atlas enquired

"You stop this world being consumed by an unearthly evil. I tell you now, if the world of man falls; our world will quickly follow suit. It will take more than one person to stop this man and his little pet, Osiris. Please Atlas, this world needs your strength" Diana answered

Atlas smirked and turned his head back onto Captain Marvel "I tell you what, if you can beat me in an arm wrestle and prove yourself to me. Then I swear by Zeus that I shall pledge myself to you but if I win then you shall leave to myself"

"Atlas please-" Diana started before she was interrupted

"Fine" Captain Marvel boomed sternly as he took a seat at the marble table.

Billy raised his arm and placed his elbow down. Atlas' smirk grew as he did the same and the pair clamped their hands together. Diana stood up and buried her face into her hands 'macho idiots' she thought to herself.


San Francisco Bay

California

Black Adam and Osiris hovered low over the waters looking towards Alcatraz prison.

"What are us doing here Teth?" Osiris asked as he looked confused

"Any ruler needs subordinates to carry out his work" Black Adam replied

The USAF helicopters swarmed around the pair like bees but the duo took no notice.

"I can do that! I can do whatever you ask of me" Osiris protested

"No you are a prince and a king to these ants. We need an army"

Black Adam began to fly towards 'the rock' followed by his apprentice. The duo soon hovered above the prison. Searchlights from the island shone at them, gunfire was shot in their direction but missed miserably. The swarm of helicopters now became hostile and peppered them with machine gun fire. Black Adam just smirked.

"Let's begin"


Buffalo, NY

The unmarked USAF car drove down the quiet, suburban street. Cherry Blossom trees line either side of the road and were a thing of natural beauty as the sun shone through them. The car pulled up to the sidewalk, the doors opened and two men wearing in their formal military dress uniforms stepped out. The pair walked up the house and knocked on the door. The wait was tense and then the door opened.

"Mrs. Angelia Hynes?"

The woman at the door nodded her head in confusion

"I am Master Sergeant William Baker and this is Staff Sergeant Joseph Costello. I am afraid I have some bad news ma'am"

Tears began to run down the woman's face and her hands began to tremble like leafs caught in a terrible wind.

"The sectary of the Airforce has asked me to express his deep regret that your son Senior Airman Roscoe Hynes was killed at 9:56 this morning in a training exercise. A bereavement officer will be in contact with you within the next four hours. The secretary also wishes to express his deepest sympathies to you and your family during this trying time. I am sorry miss"


Mount Parnassus

Delphi, Greece

SLAM! The back of Atlas' hand hit the top of the marble table.

"No! What sorcery have you used to cheat me!?" Atlas shouted with venomous anger

"Listen meathead, I beat you fair and square" Captain Marvel replied as he sprang to his feet also

"Do not insult me with your mortal tongue, I should slap you around and beat the disrespect from your mouth!"

"Listen! Calm down! Both of you!" Diana protested passionately

Atlas grabbed the table with one hand and with ease tossed with from the ground and down the mountain side. Billy smirked and stepped forward, both men placed their noses together in a tense face off.

"STOP IT!" Diana shouted now

"Yeah do as mummy says…boy" Atlas spat

Captain Marvel stepped back and swung a right hand at Atlas, the clenched fist thundered into the Titan's face. The impact had the mountain side shake as Atlas swung back, striking the Captain in the chest. Billy was thrown backwards, smashing through a marble pillar behind him.

"Ha!" Atlas scoffed but before he could do anything from out the sky a blue and white caped figure flew in and landed a double handed fist strike across Atlas' face. The Titan dropped to his knees from the impact and then he turned his head up to see Captain Marvel Jr. AKA Freddy Freeman.

Atlas pulled his fist back ready to hit out at Freddy when Billy flew forward holding a large section of the broken pillar and smashed it onto Atlas' head. The Titan took the full force of the impact but rose to his feet like a viper. Atlas slapped CMJ (captain Marvel Jr) across the face and then planted his sandal clad foot into the Captains chest.

"Freddy stop!" Diana protested again as CMJ retaliated and punched Atlas again, Billy saw an opening and delivered a punch of his own to Atlas' gut. The Titan winced as he raised his hand into the air, he spoke a word in ancient Greek and a large demonic chain formed inside the clutch of his clenched fist.

"Fools!" Atlas screamed as he swung the gargantuan chain in a large semi-circle, both Billy and Freddy dropped to the floor to duck the attack. The chain crashed into the side of the mountain causing a dust storm and large pieces of rubble to fly into the air.

Working in tandem CMJ leapt forward and grabbed the chain, engaging in a godlike tuck of war. The Captain at the same time leapt forward himself and plunged his left fist into Atlas' jaw. The Titan felt his skull rattle from the hit. Atlas swung the chain upwards, flinging CMJ into the sky. He then swung it sideways and managed to whip it into Billy's chest. The Captain spat a mouthful of blood as he cannoned into the side of the mountain.

"Who dares challenge Atlas?! Son of Lapetus! Holder of worlds!" The Titan screamed but quickly from behind he felt Captain Marvels rock like arms clamp his neck in a rear naked choke hold. The pair struggled as CMJ flew back down from the sky and thundered his fist into Atlas' nose. The hit caused the mountain to shake again. Billy kept hold of Atlas with all his strength but he couldn't hold on much longer, Freddy rained down fists into his chest and face with a furious rage.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Diana spat as he jumped forward and kicked Freddy to the floor and simultaneously drew her sword and pressed it against Billy's arm that was wrapped around Atlas' neck. The Captain released his hold and Atlas spun around, the pair engaged in another tense face off. CMJ climbed to his feet as Diana spoke first "Listen Atlas! You swore an oath by Zeus that if you lost you would pledge us your allegiance. You lost"

Atlas spun around and spat on the floor "So be it Amazonian"


Alcatraz Prison

San Francisco Bay

California

Meanwhile Black Adam had ripped the roof off the main sections of the maximum security prison, the younger Osiris as he did this had dealt with the guards and the annoying helicopters that had flown above them. The prison inmates rushed out and poured into the main outside courtyard as Black Adam hovered above them.

"SILENCE!" Black Adam screamed and the horde fell quiet. "Pledge yourself to me! And I shall grant you unimaginable powers! Become my army and become my iron fist that'll crush this Earth and keep her down!

The horde of criminals roared into a near frenzy.

"So it shall be!" Black Adam laughed as he raised his hands into the air. The skies turned black as lightning and thunder crashed down and sparked off his hands. Then he heaved his chiselled arms downwards and the crackling thunder hit the ground and spread across the inmates. Then all at once the criminals began to hover off the ground, their muscles glowing and bulging and their eyes glowing a crimson red.

"And so it begins!"


New Mexico

There was nothing in sight for miles across the open desert. Then about 5 feet off the ground a yellow swirl of electricity began to form and spin. The swirl became faster and started to spark. From the centre of the weird energy a slit began to open. The body of Roscoe Hynes fell out and hit the floor and as he did the energy swirl vanished.

"The hell…?" Roscoe panted as he licked his dry lips and touched his sore body. The airman then stood up and cupped his face into his hands. 'Where am I?' Roscoe thought to himself as he gazed around the desert. The Airman began to panic and started to run forward but as he did a surge of energy spread through his body and propelled him forward at the speed of a rocket. Roscoe stopped himself in amazement 'Well that was weird' he laughed to himself.

Roscoe looked down at his legs and sped off at high speed, within seconds he was moving so fast he was a mere blur of yellow light to the human eye.


TO BE CONTINUED IN CAPTAIN MARVEL: POWER OF SHAZAM! #8