Japan
"He's putting fear into us."
"Yeah. Seems to be the intention." Oz said, lifting a piece of equipment from the back of the truck.
"It's all psychology my dear boy. The creature is attempting to make the world's populace afraid. That's why it visually broadcast Superman being defeated. Superman is a perfect archetype for power, for the Olympian ideal. Strong, swift, intelligent, brave, and a thousand other attributes that are desirable. By showing the world that he could beat down a being such as Superman, he has immediately thrown them off. They're unsure of what to do next. Oh, do you need help?" Professor Hopkins asked.
Oz strained and held the computer, "I got it."
"Good man. Now where was I?"
"Uncertainty." Oz stated, deadpan.
"Ah yes. The world was thrown off. Even the other superhumans are unsure of what course of action to take as Superman was an inspiration to them all. Then those towers opened and all those creatures poured out. All flesh eaters to boot. That is no mistake. That is planning. What do we fear more than dying itself? Being devoured by some creature. They know that not only will they die, but they go on to make the creature that they feed stronger." Professor Hopkins went on, carrying some more materials with his free hand, and ironically his only hand.
Oz inwardly shrugged. He liked the Professor a lot. He was intelligent and polite, he had even been open to listening to some Iron Maiden after some convincing. Oz however wished he hadn't picked a topic dealing with flesh-eating. Not on his top ten list, considering that Oz was also a werewolf. Albeit he could control his changes now, but he still worried about losing control.
The Professor noted Oz's posture. He was uncomfortable again. Interesting. Whenever he spoke of natural edicts such as survival of the fittest or the law of the jungle, the young man was uncomfortable. The Professor smirked inwardly. There was more to Mr. Osbourne than meets the eye.
"Indeed there's more to all of us in that regard." The Professor regarded his severed left hand then walked with Oz down to the dig site.
"I can help you, you know." Professor Hopkins said, seeing if Oz would let anything slip out after being deep in thought and hearing that.
"I'm good. Stronger than I look." Oz said, carrying the load he had.
"Indeed you are. You know there's an old saying in regards to the Native American legend of the Wendigo. A man eats the flesh of another man and he gains his power." The Professor said, watching Oz squirm as he sat the computer down once they were inside the tent.
"Kind of morbid." Oz replied.
"Yes. Quite. But nevertheless a fascinating saying. One wonders if it holds any cadence as other myths like those of Thor seem to be true." Professor Hopkins noted.
"More of a doughnut man myself." Oz said to the Professor, who just smiled.
"Yeah." He said as he walked over to the spot where they had actually been digging.
"Still kinda hard to believe I'm on this trip." Oz intoned.
"How so? You came to Japan to study and lucky for you I came here to teach. You're my best pupil Oz, light years ahead of anyone else in my philosophy classes. As such you got to pick your reward. Enjoy." Professor Hopkins smiled.
"Yeah but a kaiju archeological trip. That's like five shades of cool. Even with all of this crap going on." Oz noted.
"Well, we are in the land of giant monsters. It seemed fitting. Also the world will be ending in a few days. We may as well make the best of our time." Professor Hopkins said, "Ah look. There's our find right there."
Oz looked down at the golden scale in the hole.
"Now this is interesting. Golden scale from King Ghidorah. I imagine lost during one of its battles with other kaiju in the area. Note the texture. The scale isn't just golden colored, it is gold-like in composition. Further evidence that Ghidorah was element-like in nature." Professor Hopkins explained.
"Not a lot you don't know." Oz stated.
"Eh?"
"Well you teach philosophy, know all about psychology, and now you're talking about chemistry and kaiju biology. You're a jack of all trades." Oz said.
"And I believe that's the most I've ever heard you say in one sentence. Bravo." Hopkins smirked.
"Same here."
Oz perked his head up. That voice…that was so familiar. He looked behind him, and completely unfazed by who was there.
"Hey Willow." Oz said to his former girlfriend.
"Hey Oz. What ya doing?" she asked.
"Studying." Hopkins said, turning around and offering his hand, "Professor Roland Hopkins."
"Willow Rosenberg." Willow said taking it and taking in the image of the older man. Bright, piercing blue eyes, graying hair, and a graying goatee. He wore classes. And he was missing a hand. Willow tried not to stare.
"Don't worry. It doesn't affect my work." Hopkins said.
"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It's just that a friend of mine nearly lost his eye and it made me think of that and I'm babbling aren't I?" Willow frowned.
"Well yes. I hate to sound rude, but what exactly are you doing here?" Hopkins said observing the young woman with red hair. Heh. It was always redheads for him it seemed.
"We have business with Mr. Osbourne." Another voice said, a gentleman not quite as old as Hopkins said, coming into view.
"Stephen Strange." Hopkins said immediately.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Strange said, taking in the man's appearance. He WAS strangely familiar.
"We may have bumped into one another from time to time. Years ago. Besides, you had quite the reputation as a surgeon." Hopkins noted.
"Ah. Yes." Strange said dismissing the thought immediately. Though he was still familiar.
"Oz, we need to talk to you." Willow said.
"This have anything to do with the end of the world?" Oz asked.
Willow nodded.
"You see—" Doctor Strange began, still eyeing Hopkins.
"I'm in." Oz cut him off.
"Huh?" Willow said.
"You came all the way to Japan to talk to me so it stands to reason you need me. I'm in." Oz explained.
"Oh. Well yeah." Willow noted.
"Sorry Professor. Duty calls." Oz said, frowning somewhat.
"It's alright my boy. The site will still be here when you return. I'll call someone else out to help me, then get a bite to eat." Hopkins said, climbing out of the hole, "If people such as Stephen Strange are involved, then the situation must be dire. Go."
Without another word, Oz exited with Willow and Strange. Hopkins walked across the tent and sat in his chair. He then took the Metallica cd out of the player and put on Mozart. If his pupil was involved with Strange, then there truly was more to Mr. Osbourne than meets the eye. He would enjoy discovering that secret when Osbourne returned. Taking out a special decanter of brandy he had brought, Hopkins poured himself a glass. Drinking it, he mused how he had seen an older pupil of his tonight. When he had first met him, Stephen Strange was an ambitious but jaded young man in Med School. Hopkins smiled when he thought of how quickly Strange has learned while under his residency. Of course back then there was no one named Roland Hopkins. He had used his true name, now discarded to keep him from getting caught by the authorities. Back then his name had been Lecter. Hannibal Lecter.
Crystal Lake, New Jersey"He just keeps coming!" Graham yelled as he fired his semi-automatic.
"Knee joints now!" an authoritarian, yet young voice had said.
Graham took aim and fired again, at the knees of the hockey masked zombie that was approaching. It grunted as it fell to its knees after being fired on.
"Okay Sam. Head shot. Make it count." The voice said to the young woman with the sniper rifle up the tree behind them.
"Don't get your panties in a twist, Finn. Consider him got." The woman fired, hitting the zombie right in the head. It fell backwards onto its back and didn't move at all. She smirked.
Graham was ready to move forward to investigate their latest capture. His arm was seized. His CO, Riley Finn, held him back and shook his head. Slowly, he bent down and tossed a rock at the fallen zombie's side. It immediately struck at the spot where the rock had landed with its machete.
"Damn, it just won't die." Graham said in awe.
"That's why we're here. Thing refuses to die." Riley said, opening fire on the creature as it stood with his own machine gun.
"So we here to take it in because it kills people or because Uncle Sam wants to know why it can't die?" Graham asked, opening fire.
"Little from column A, little from column B." Riley explained.
"Why we even on this recon? World could end in a few days." Graham asked.
"And it might not, so we follow orders." Riley said firing on the creature.
Jason Voorhees was not the most intelligent creature in the world. He had never claimed to be. All he knew were two things: the kill and the fact that he hated being shot. He grunted under his mask and kept walking into their fire, despite the pain.
"Sam, Intel on this guy is that he's strong enough to rip a guy's head off with a punch. That makes the fact that he's holding a machete bad!" Riley said to his wife, who was still in the tree.
"I'm on it Finn." She said, taking aim. She fired and a bullet went right through Jason's wrist, making his hand spasm and drop the machete.
"Okay, fist to fist he's still a bruiser. Move quick, hit hard." Riley ordered as he and Graham circled the huge zombie.
"Stun guns?" Graham asked as Jason turned his attention to him.
"Optional." Riley replied, "Electricity may make him stronger according to the Jarvis testimony. I'd stick to firearms."
Jason shot his glance to Riley. His dim mind began to understand. He was the one in charge. He was giving orders. Kill him and the others would die. Kill, kill, kill, kill, now, now, now, now, now. The words echoed in his head.
KILLKILLKILLKILLKILLNOWNOWNOWNOWNOW. Jason moved for Riley and immediately felt a burning sensation in his back. He turned and saw that Graham was sticking him in the back with a large stun gun. Jason narrowed his eyes and elbowed Graham, sending him flying and landing in a messy heap.
Riley sighed, "When I say I'd stick to firearms, that means you should stick to firearms."
Jason looked back at Riley and advanced.
"Oh yeah, and that guy was my friend. If he's hurt too badly, well I'd hate to be you. Matter of fact, I'd hate to be you regardless." Riley said firing on Jason again. The zombie's advance stopped as it spasmed from all the rounds being emptied into it.
"Sam, get ready!" Riley shouted.
"On it." Sam replied as she shuffled began to pull something off of her back.
"Hey Graham, you recovered yet?" Riley asked.
"Yeah. Asshole broke my nose I think." Graham stated.
"Come up on his rear. Schoolboy." Riley ordered as he stopped firing. Jason seethed and began to walk forward, but as he did, Riley ran forward leaping into the air, delivering a powerful kick to Jason that sent him staggering back. Normally even that wouldn't have caused Jason to fall, but seeing as how Graham was on all fours behind him, Jason tripped. Riley quickly pulled Graham up and in the clear as Jason began to stand. Seconds later, Jason was hit by a projectile that enveloped him from head to toe. He dropped to the ground, the more he struggled, the more he couldn't escape.
Riley smiled up to his wife in the tree and then looked to the fallen Jason.
"Titanium mesh net. Not even you can rip out of that." Riley stated.
Jason thrashed and tried to rip free, but the net would not give. He glared at Riley who was standing over him, with some kind of gun. Riley knelt down and jammed it into Jason, who very quickly fell into a deep sleep.
"What's in that?" Graham asked.
"Soma. It has enough kick to knock out King Kong. That's factually accurate too. Plus a few derivatives to keep him from dreaming. Last thing we need is that Krueger guy taking control of him again." Riley explained.
"How does something work on a zombie though?" Sam said, jumping out of the tree.
"He's still has blood pumping in him. His heart's beating. Most zombies don't have those functions. Look at him, still breathing even though he doesn't have to breathe. His body functions are go. The papers that the boys found at Creighton Dukes' place mention it, and the time he began body hopping confirmed it. " Riley went on.
"You believe all that?" Graham asked.
"Graham, we spent time on the Hellmouth remember? Our CO built a Frankenstein monster from demon and human parts. We've seen weirder. At least I have. You never saw any magick." Riley said.
"That's because it doesn't exist man." Graham said. Riley and Sam rolled their eyes.
"Kind of closed minded isn't he?" Willow asked as she and Doctor Strange appeared.
The trio was slightly startled by the arrival, but didn't open fire. They were too well trained to without having just cause.
Riley smirked, "He is, but he's a good guy. How you doing Willow?"
"Pretty good." Willow said chipper.
"I see you're back on the stuff." Sam said with a frown. She had hoped the girl hadn't succumbed to the dark magick she had sworn off the last time she had seen her.
"Yeah, but I'm on the good stuff at present. See you bagged yourself a monster there." Willow noted.
"Jason Voorhees." Riley stated.
"And no one died? Impressive." Strange admitted.
"Who's this?" Riley asked, taking in the mage.
"My teacher. So Riley, I have a proposition for you." Willow mentioned.
"What kind of proposition?" Riley asked.
"I see you're still hunting monsters. How would you like to take down the biggest monster of them all?" Willow asked.
Riley smirked, "Well Willow, I'd have to say…cool."