Power Pack
Issue #25 – Wolf in Principal's Clothing – Part Three
Wolf Lord's Lair – Goodrich Junior High School Basement
"Jack, what's wrong with you? Jack, are you okay?" Jack suddenly heard his sisters ask as he regained his mind and form.
"I, you're all okay!" Jack cried in joy as he became solid and saw that his sisters, Friday and little Val were perfectly fine and there were no wolves or blood anywhere.
"Of course we're okay, what's wrong with you?" Kat asked while rolling her eyes.
"I…don't know," Jack whispered as he kept wiping his eyes and staring at his sisters in disbelief.
"Jack, you need to knock it off. Now, let's go," Julie said as she moved towards the door.
"No, stop! Don't open that door!" Jack suddenly shouted as he became smoke and then solidified between the door and the others.
"Jack, what is going on?" Julie demanded.
"If you open that door, you all will die," Jack said with panic.
"How do you know that?" Kat asked.
"I don't detect any life forms behind the door," Friday added.
"I don't want to die, Julie," Val said looking up at the eldest member of their group.
"You're not going to die. Now, Jack, could you please tell us what is going on with you?" Julie pleaded.
"Okay, but to be truthful, you're not the only one experiencing strange things with your powers," Jack confessed.
"What are you talking about?" Julie asked.
"Well, not too long ago I was running down an ally and my cloud power started acting up and I found myself in like the old west and then I happened make it back," Jack said.
"Yes, he claimed to have been gone but according to me sensors he had never gone anywhere or been missing for any period of time," Friday confirmed.
"Okay and what does that have to do with us?" Kat asked not really buying into the story.
"Well, we were all heading towards that door and when Julie opened it, a bunch of wolves came out and killed you and Julie and destroyed Friday. Me and Val's powers protected us. Then Principal Flow came out of the door and had changed into a scary looking wolf. Val had somehow sent him back through the door and as I cried at the sight of all of you being dead, my cloud form starting going crazy and next thing I knew I was standing here with all of you and nothing bad had happened," Jack told his tale.
"Are you trying to tell me that you traveled back in time?" Julie asked as she was trying hard to believe his story.
"I don't know what I'm trying to say. All I know is that you all died when you opened that door. It was a trap," Jack said, now growing angry.
"Time travel is possible. It would explain this story and what Jack claimed happened to him in the ally. Your powers are growing which would explain you being able to teleport and Katie disintegrating illusions," Friday said.
"Yeah, but how is time travel related to changing to smoke?" Julie questioned.
"Maybe its dream smoke," Val said with a smile.
"Dream smoke? You're crazy," Kat teased the little girl.
"No, what do you mean honey?" Julie asked.
"Well, I saw a cartoon where some guys were looking into a campfire of smoke and they started having weird dreams," Val said,
"You know that makes sense. Maybe, like Franklin, I can see visions of things through my smoke?" Jack said getting excited about the explanation.
"I'm not sure I see the truth in that," Friday said.
"I don't either, but for now I think we shouldn't' rule it out and trust Jack here. Friday, open that door and move up. The rest of us will be ready in case Jack is telling the truth," Julie said as she pushed Val behind her and the Pack prepared themselves.
Friday opened the door and immediately jetted upwards. Two wolves darted out, but this time Power Pack was ready for them. Energizer blasted them both with energy balls that sent them to the ground and then started recharging instantly. The next wave of wolves came tough and Mass Master, Lightspeed and Friday took them out with the Jack Hammer, Supers speed punches and laser blasts. Even Val cast a few afire to finish off the last of them. In a matter of moments all the wolves had been taken out and Power Pack had prevailed.
"This ended much better than before," Jack sighed as he saw the wolves down instead of his family.
"So there were wolves behind the door," Julie said as she caught her breath.
"See, I told you," Jack said glaring at Kat.
"Well, aren't you mister know it all," Kat said sticking out her tongue.
"Um, Julie?" Val asked looking up.
"Not now, Val. Everything's going to be okay," Julie said as she looked around trying to think of what their next move would be.
"But, Julie," Val pleaded again.
"What, Val?" Julie said starting to get annoyed.
"Well, if Jack's vision was true. Where's the evil wolf leader that tried to get me and I knocked back through the door?" Val asked with a touch of fear in her voice.
"Oh, no, we forgot about him," Kat said suddenly as they heard laughter getting louder.
"I see you're a little more resourceful than I thought," Principal Flow growled as a large figure stepped into the doorway.
"Principal Flow!" Kat screamed.
"Oh, Miss Power. Now don't look shocked. I know full well who each and every one of you are. I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't know my enemy," the evil principal said as his eyes began to glow red.
"Why are you doing this Drol?" Julie asked the Junior High Principal.
"Oh, because your sister and the Richard's boy had to get nosey. I took refuge at the school and wanted to be left in peace. I even declined participation in the Demon Storm to keep my cover. My plan was to keep hidden, feeding off the fear of teenagers building my power until the Night of the Wolf," Principal Flow growled.
"Night of the Wolf? What are you talking about?" Jack demanded.
"What's going on here in this basement?" Kat asked.
"Such a demanding Pack. Not so different from mine. You see, teenagers fear school, popularity, fitting in, pimples, dating, you name it. All that anguish and fear harnesses great power, so I setup my lair under the school to drain this power from young souls. Building the power I will need on the Night of the Wolf when the barrier are weekend and I can use this power to shatter the walls all the Wolf Packs though and re-inherit the Earth," Principal Flow laughed.
"I don't see what that's got to do with my sister or Franklin," Julie said.
"Either way, we're going to put you down," Jack proclaimed as he felt his power at his ready.
"Yeah, and I want my brother back. Where is he?" Val demanded.
"Oh, I have you're brother safely put away. His and Kat's meddling, along with you being here is causing me to use a lot of valuable power. I can't risk being exposed and losing my power source all together. The Night of the Wolf is less than a year away and I don't have time to store any more power," Lord Flow said.
"What's that got to do with Franklin?" Julie asked.
"Well, what better way to gain soul power than through the fears of people's dreams, courteous of little Franklin? Unfortunately, the process will drain his life and soul and kill him. Such is the cost of prevailing," Drol Flow laughed.
"You will not win, Principal Flow," Kat said.
"Oh, I think I will. Also, you can call me by what you know my true pack name is. You may call me your death, you may call me Wolf Lord," Drol Flow growled as his eyes flared and he began to shift shape and take on the form of a fiery red furred wolf that Jack had seen in his future vision.
"I do not like this one bit," Energizer said as she began to disintegrate everything she could place her hands on.
"Lightspeed, I'm sensing several large forms moving at fast speeds behind that door," Friday said.
"Julie?" Val asked with a quiver in her voice.
"Don't worry, this is one dog that will not have its day," Lightspeed said as she called on her powers.
"This will be tasty," Wolf Lord growled as he leapt at the children.
"Power Pack, attack!" Mass Master shouted as they all powered up and met the Wolf Lord for battle.
New Warriors
Warriors Hunt – Part Three
Tallahassee, Florida
Sprocket Search Team
Night Thrasher stood on the rooftop looking down at the mechanics shop below. According to the Hindsight Database, Amelia Barnhardt, the New Warrior pilot codenamed Sprocket had vanished here to Florida, assumed the alias Angela Bronson and started her own auto repair shop. After her daughter Valerie had died she had simply vanished and Dwayne had never heard from her again or even knew where she was. It wasn't this that bothered him so much, it was the fact that Carlton had done what he hadn't done – know where every Warrior was.
Normally Night Thrasher would have been impressed but the database had ended up doing more damage than good. It was something that should have been handled and mastered by him, not a wanna-be super hero and computer nerd. Carlton had murdered and his database stolen. Now that database was in the hands of a very power foe that is using it to hunt down and kill anyone that had been a New Warrior or closely connected to the team. Night Thrasher had immediately used the database to hunt down his fellow warriors as well.
He had gone to great lengths and managed to pull in every Warrior except a few and make arraignments for protection against family members, even though he had a feeling these villains weren't interested in them at all. It was better to be safe than sorry. Dagger, Nova, Aegis and Sprocket were the only ones not accounted for. Well, Andrew Chord too, but Chord could rot for all he cared. Plus, if this was or a new version of the Folding Circle like he believed, then Chord just might be behind this. He would worry about that later. The safety of the Warriors came first.
Dagger was off world with Salem-X and Nova was somewhere in space protecting the galaxy, so that left Aegis and Sprocket who have not responded to his calls. Having so many Warriors he had divided the team into three groups. He would lead one to find Sprocket, Justice would lead one to go after Aegis and he's entrusted his brother Bandit to lead the third group to check up on Force of Nature. Normally Thrasher wouldn't care about the four criminals, but he had reasons to this time.
According to Hindsight Database, the criminals known as Aqueduct, Skybreaker, Terraformer and Firebrand had been contacted and seen operating together recently. What had captured his notice was that team was being reformed by a new benefactor. A benefactor that Hindsight Lad was in the middle of trying to figure out right before he had been killed. The fact Dwayne thought the Folding Circle might be involved, Hindsight Lad had no data on their current activity and that former Folding Circle member Silk Fever had also been a member of Force of Nature meant there could be a connection. Whether she's connected to this or not, it was better to make sure and gather Intel on what they are up to and who's paying them.
"Warriors One ready to move in," Night Thrasher said into his helmet communicator.
"Read you loud and clear, Thrash. I just wish I could be there with the rest of you," Chris Powell, the former Warrior known as Darkhawk responded back.
"Until you're fully healed and able to go into battle, you do us more good holding down the fort and running communications. How's Spider-Girl?" Night Thrasher asked of the injured member of Darkhawk's current team, the Loners, sometimes jokingly referred to as the Losers by the members themselves.
"She's still unconscious. Who ever hit her, hit her with the intention of taking her out. Fortunately her powers have fully healed her body, but for some reason she has not been able to regain consciousness. I just wish I could remember the battle. When I was forced back to my human form, it appears my recent memories were erased or something. It's so frustrating," Chris Powell said.
"Don't worry. We'll all get answers soon. Going to radio silence," Night Thrasher said as he clicked off.
"Nothing looks out of the ordinary," Speedball said as he looked down and back at his teammates.
"We don't even know if they're planning on going after her. Knowing her, she's just ignoring your call," Namorita said glancing at Night Thrasher.
"Either way, we need to be sure. Let's go down and be alert. Darkling, like the other teams, you are placed to be our exit. Do nothing dumb and unnecessary," Night Thrasher said as he used his suit to leap and make it safely to the street below.
Speedball and Darkling made it to the ground with ease as Debrii and Namorita helped the overweight Microbe to the street below. Thrash lead the crew carefully towards the dark auto shop. All looked normal from the outside as Night Thrasher tried the door and found it pushed right open with ease. Finding this odd, he started scanning the room with his visor and found no body signatures. He carefully moved in and found the entire shop was destroyed beyond recognition. It clearly looked like a fight had taken place here.
"There is no one here," Speedball said zipping around the place.
"Look's like we're too late," Debrii said as Night Thrasher swore.
"I should've known you'd be behind this. I want to know what you've done with Amelia and I want to know now," man shouted from behind them.
"Cardinal!" Night Thrasher said as they all turned to see a man in a prominently red with white armored suit pointing a series weapons at them.
Lincoln, Nebraska
Aegis Search Team
In a nice neighborhood sat a two story house with a wooden privacy fence. From the inside shadow cast from the fence the darkness began to move. Suddenly the darkness took shape to reveal a female form as her wing-like cape of darkness moved causing six other figures to appear out of the darkness. Dusk solidified and turned off her powers as she glanced at the members of her team. Justice, their leader, with his wife Firestar, former Warriors Rage and G-Force with his husband Frost Fire and her old teammate and friend Ricochet all stood with her. Justice glanced around as he held his hand for them to stand ready.
"All seems quiet. Are you sure this is Trey's house?" G-Force asked.
"This was the address Carlton had him listed under. Apparently he gave up the hero biz and moved out here to help with a program for troubled teens," Firestar answered.
"I'm not picking up anything with my danger sense," Ricochet added.
"I wonder why he wouldn't at least respond to Thrash's call," Rage said as he quickly moved with the others as they made it up the steps of the wooden deck.
"If he chooses to cut all ties with being a super hero and starting a new life, I could almost see him not doing so. Especially if he got a call after he was sure he had kept himself hidden from us," Justice said as he used his powers to unlock the patio door and step in.
"Nice home," Frost Fire said as he noticed the very warming and inviting Asian and Bamboo theme in the living room.
"Trey, you here?" Justice called out.
"I don't think he's home," Firestar said as she headed down the hallway and carefully checked out the three rooms.
"Maybe they haven't gotten to him yet. You think he'll come with us?" G-Force asked to no one in particular.
"Hard to say," Justice said.
"Guys, I've found him," Dusk shouted from the basement.
The group made their way down two sets of stairs and entered the basement. To the right was a laundry room and to the left was a family room. Right in front of them was a small office that had a bunch of DVD's on shelves all over the walls. Sitting in the video room, at a small desk was a man in a black chair. Justice couldn't tell if the man was alive or dead, but could clearly tell the man was bound to the chair with rope.
"Trey?" Justice asked as he turned the chair around with his powers to reveal the lifeless body of Aegis.
"Oh, God," G-Force cried out.
"Guys, my danger sense is going off," Ricochet started to say as he heard a strange humming.
"Vance, get back. That's not his mystical breastplate. That's a bomb!" Firestar began to scream when the device attached to Aegis beeped and the entire house exploded in a huge ball of smoke and fire.
Black Hills, South Dakota
Force of Nature Search Team
"Whoa," Silhouette said as she pulled herself and the five members of her team, Bandit, Green Goblin, Turbo, Slapstick and Ultra Girl out of the shadows of the forest.
"You okay, baby?" Bandit asked as he caught her.
"Yeah, I just get real weak when I teleport more than just myself," Silhouette said as she gained her footing.
Silhouette missed her crutches that she used to use as fighting tools, but she loved the new suit and exoskeleton that Night Thrasher had made her to allow her to walk and move without them. She was thankful for all he's done for her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let the past go. She wanted to love him, but her heart had to stay with Bandit. It didn't make it any easier that she was now dating someone that used to be a New Warrior and a criminal, but just also happened to be Dwayne's brother. She looked around at the forest as she pushed those thoughts from her mind.
"I think we're walking into a trap," Green Goblin said.
"I agree," Turbo added.
"Well, this is where Carlton said Force of Natures were last seen," Bandit said as he looked around.
"He was correct. May he rest in peace," a man called out as they all turned around to see that they were surrounded from all sides by several armored men with weapons.
"I knew it," Green Goblin swore as a man began to step out of the trees.
"I should have known you were behind all this," Bandit shouted at the bald headed man with black skin.
"No, Father?" Silhouette cried as the man grinned.
"Hi, my dear, too bad this couldn't have been under better circumstances. Now, things are about to get interesting," Andrew Chord said as he signaled his men to move.
Next: Issue #26 – Wolf in Principal's Clothing – Part Four & New Warriors: Warriors Hunt - Part Four