The researchers of STAR Labs were startled by the explosion that Dr. Cyber and the Blue Snowman caused. They were barely recovering while waiting for the police to arrive.

"What caused that explosion?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was an experiment that went wrong."

"Really wrong, it looks like."

All the researchers heard a man coughing and turned to see Dr. Silas Stone. He limped on over to them with his mortally-wounded son leaning on his shoulders.

"Dr. Stone." One researcher gasped. "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter." Silas said. "All that matters now is saving Victor. Tell me. Is the cyber-surgery chamber still operational?"

"It's got a few buffs, but yes. It still works." Silas headed over to the adjacent lab. "Wait! Dr. Stone! The chamber is still in its experimental stages! It's not ready for humans yet!"

"I don't have a choice!" Silas insisted. "Most of Victor's body is dead already! He's fading fast! It's the only thing that can save him!"

"But the risks…"

"He's my son! I'm not losing him like I lost his mother!" Silas yelled. He continued heading to the next room. "Don't worry, Victor. I won't let you die. I promise."


"Forgive me, children. My little pets get so excited when I have visitors here at Weird World."

Cassie took the liberty of streaming V.V. Argost's show on her phone during her flight to Arizona. Seeing all those dark dungeons, bloodthirsty beasts, and a gothic host all made Cassie uneasy.

"Sheesh, this guy's a freak." Cassie commented. "Why does a guy like him have such an active fanbase? More importantly, what does he have to do with the attack on Themyscira and Wonder Woman's disappearance."

Cassie was about to have her answers soon. She put away her phone for a second as soon as she saw a lone observatory, which was built on top of a steep, rocky mountain in the middle of the desert. She also saw that half of it was destroyed and still burning. At the same time, a large, orange-and-silver airship the size of a blimp passed by. It parked right at the base of the destroyed lab.

"Looks like the doc here is going to have more visitors besides me." Cassie said landing right near where the airship landed.

As soon as she touched ground, the airship opened up and five people walked out. Three were humans, but there were also a Komodo dragon and a large, furry ape at the back. One of the humans was a large, burly man with one blind eye. The other was a white-haired woman with snow-white hair. The last human was a kid who looked younger than Cassie, with an S on his T-shirt and hair that was mostly black except for a white part at his front.

"Didn't know there was a flying circus." Cassie joked.

"Uh, who are you?" asked the woman with the white hair.

"Cassie Sandsmark. I'm an amazon in training. Queen Hippolyta sent me here following a supervillain attack at Themyscira."

"You're from Themyscira?" asked the black-and-white-haired boy. "That's cool! Do you know Wonder Woman?"

"Know her? Kid, she's basically my trainer… on some occasions." Cassie said. "Anyway, enough about me. Who are you guys?"

"I'm Doc Saturday." Said the burly man. "This here is my wife, Drew, and our son, Zak."

"And this is Fisk and Komodo." Zak introduced the two animals. Fisk waved and gave an inaudible greeting while Komoto snarled.

"So the amazon queen sent you?" Drew asked.

"Yeah. These villains have done something to Wonder Woman, and they took something from the island." Cassie said. "It looked like some kind of rock with ancient Sumerian writing on it."

"Yeah, we heard about that." Doc said. "So you're here to check on Henry too?"

"Yes." Cassie said.

"Well, look no further." Said a man's voice. Everyone turned their attention to a lone man standing at attention.

"Henry, you okay?" Drew asked.

"Better than my lab is." Dr. Cheveyo said.

"Looks like you got the worst of it." Doc said. "Who was it?"

"Argost himself."

"Argost was here?" Zak asked.

"Yes, and he blew up my lab." Dr. Cheveyo said.

"Right, bad guy." Zak said. "I hear he puts on a pretty good TV show though."

"Seriously?" Cassie asked. "That show would have given my younger self nightmares."

"Apparently, my son has been doing a lot of Weird World 'research'." Doc said.

During the conversation, Fisk and Komodo's eyes catch onto a bug that was flying around and curiously followed it.

"Well, if your 'research' finds a way to get my stone piece back from Argost, let me know." Dr. Cheveyo said.

"He got it?" Drew asked.

"Then it's starting again." Doc said.

"Okay, guys, seriously, with the mystery?" Zak asked. "Do I get to know what's going on here? What's starting again? What stone pieces?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know too." Cassie said. "First, Wonder Woman goes missing. Then, supervillains attack with her iconic Lasso of Truth. And now, I find out Argost is in the center of it all? What's happening? What does he want?"

Drew looked at her husband before finally answering, "The Kur Stone, the key to finding the ancient Sumerian beast called Kur. According to the legend, whoever control the cryptid Kur controls the world. Ultimate, limitless power. Kur can give it to you, and only the stone can lead you to Kur."

"Your mother and I lead the team that discovered the stone." Doc said. "And believe it or not, Wonder Woman was there too. She was helping us study. At first, we didn't even know what we had, but somebody else did."

"Argost disguised himself as a member of crew, and by the time we found out, he was already gone with the Kur Stone." Drew said.

"With Wonder Woman's help, the Secret Scientists tracked Argost down to Weird World." Doc continued. "We went in with a team of fifty, but by the time we left that house of horrors, there were only seven of us."

"Argost escaped," Drew said, "But we got the stone. And now that we knew what it was, we decided this was one secret that needed to stay secret, even from ourselves."

"We split it into five pieces." Doc said. "Four of them were left in the care of a different Secret Scientist each. The last was entrusted to Wonder Woman, who decided to hide it on Themyscira guarded by an army of amazons. As long as we kept the pieces apart, the key to finding Kur was safe."

"But you didn't keep them apart." Zak pointed out. "Argost just got four of the pieces, right? And you guys have the only one that's left?"

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing!" Cassie said. "We have to get to the last piece before Argost does!"

"She's right!" Zak said. "For all we know, Argost could send more supervillains to our home right now."

"Kids, relax." Drew said. "Our piece isn't at home. We found a hiding place in the Amazon river basin years ago."

"What? You left it unguarded all these years?" Dr. Cheveyo gasped.

"Give us some credit, Henry." Drew said. "I did not say it was unguarded."

"Mom, Argost already knew where to find the other four pieces." Zak said. "How do you know, he didn't already find the fifth?"

"Don't forget that Argost has supervillains on his payroll." Cassie said. "Two of which are Cheetah and Giganta, two of Wonder Woman's toughest enemies."

"We have to go get it." Dr. Cheveyo said. "Find some other way of keeping it safe."

"It is safe." Drew assured. "And I really don't think you're in the best shape for a trip to Manaus, Henry."

"This isn't just your decision." Dr. Cheveyo said. "The whole world is affected by…"

"KOMODO!" Zak called out, but it was too late.

In chasing the bug, Komodo already pounced onto Dr. Cheveyo knocking him down. It was then that everyone found something strange attached to the back of his neck. It looked like an insect with bat wings, but its back was glowing brightly.

"What's that?" Cassie asked.

"It's a neural parasite." Drew said starting to sound worried.

"It feeds on impulses from the nervous system converting them to radiant energy waves." Doc explained. "Everything Henry sees and hears is being broadcast to anyone who knows how to tune in. He's listening right now, isn't he, Henry? Argost?"

"I… I'm sorry." Dr. Cheveyo apologized looking up at the others in shame.

"He heard everything." Drew said.

"I just couldn't fight him again. I'm sorry. I'm… sorry." Suddenly, Dr. Cheveyo yelled as if he was being tortured from the inside scaring the others. He then stood back up with a slouching posture, crooked hands, an evil smile, and a new voice coming from his mouth.

"Greetings and bienvenue, Saturdays."

Everyone stood back recognizing the voice of the madman masterminding the whole conspiracy.

"Is that who I think it is?" Cassie asked.

"No. That's impossible." Drew said. "The parasite doesn't transmit both ways."

"Impossible? Only one with a tragic lack of imagination would use such a vulgar word." Argost said with Cheveyo's body. "We deal with cryptids, my dear. We live in the world of impossible."

"Where are you, Argost?" Doc asked.

"Eleven years, you've kept my prize from me." Argost said. "Eleven years of tracking down which of you miserable so-called Scientists had pieces of the Kur Stone. Eleven years of planning this operation to perfection."

"I wouldn't call four out of five pieces 'perfection'." Drew said.

"We'll see about that in Manaus, won't we?" Argost chuckled.

"Listen, you Dracula wannabe," Cassie said, "You obviously love hearing the sound of your own voice, so how's about you use it to tell me what you've done with Wonder Woman?"

"Since you are curious, the princess is alive. For as long as she's potentially useful, at least." Argost answered. "But I'd stay clear of the grown-up business if I were you, girl. Otherwise, you'll end up just like dear Donna Troy."

Cassie widened her eyes. "Donna Troy? Wonder Girl? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?" Argost answered with a villainous laugh.

Fisk was about to attack, but Zak stopped him. "Fisk, no. Dr. Cheveyo's still in there somewhere. We can't hurt him."

"Sweet little boy." Argost said. "I've waited eleven years for this. What makes you think I'd let anyone else do the hurting?"

As if on cue, the bug hat Komodo was stalking was found with a whole swarm of its own kind. Each of them opened their wings and let out a green mist that quickly filled the area like a fog.

"The Al-Kaseem firecracker beetle." Argost introduced. "Nature gave it a highly flammable defensive spray. All I give it is a spark."

Argost launched his leg forward and kicked a piece of rubble. It was sent flying toward another rock. Upon impact, a spark was let out.

"HEADS UP!" Zak yelled.

BOOM!

All around them, explosions were formed everywhere. Cassie and the Saturdays fought back against the beetles and avoided the explosions. At the same time, Dr. Cheveyo returned to his senses and gasped seeing the destruction around him.

Cassie swept her leg at a blanket of beetles as they were beginning to surround her. She created an opening to fly over to where the others were grouping up around Dr. Cheveyo.

"No! He promised he wouldn't hurt you!" Dr. Cheveyo said.

"Right now, I'm just focused on trying to survive!" Cassie said.

At that moment, all the beetles came together to form a gigantic ball made from their own bodies. The ball rolled downhill towards them. If it hit them, it would be the mother of all explosions.

"GET DOWN!" Cassie yelled picking up a large piece of sheet metal. She threw it with great force towards the ball.

BOOM!

Once again, the explosion erupted knocking most of everyone off the cliff. Doc and Drew managed to make it latching onto the cliff. Doc grabbed Fisk and Komodo while Drew grabbed Dr. Cheveyo. Zak was still falling. Thankfully, Cassie flew down to save him. She reached her hand out and grabbed him by the back of his waist stopping him from falling.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Zak yelled.


Zak had just recovered from his "rescue" and confronted Cassie on the bridge of his airship.

"Did you have to power-wedgie me at six-thousand feet?" Zak asked.

"Hey, give me some credit. At least you're alive." Cassie said.

Right beside the kids, Doc and Drew were on a video call with an associate of theirs, Dr. Odele.

"How is he, Odele?" Doc asked.

"Henry has been wounded by the explosions, but he'll be okay." Odele replied. "Argost must be on his way to Manaus already."

"And I'll be there with a knuckle sandwich that has his name on it." Cassie said punching her open hand. "About time this amazon got a taste of the Amazon."

"You're letting a child go with you?" Odele asked.

"I know she doesn't seem like much," Drew said, "But she is an amazon. We could use all the help we can get. As for Zak…"

"Why don't you leave him with me until you get back?" Odele offered.

"What?" Zak gasped. "We get the biggest mission of my life, and you're leaving me with Odele?"

"Zak…" Doc said.

"Is this still about the Congolese giant spider stampede?" Zak asked. "I told you, that was an accident. Fiskerton dared me to throw the rock at the web." Fisk muttered in defense. "Come on. What was I supposed to…"

"Zak, you're coming!" Doc interrupted.

"Wait, really?" everyone asked at once.

"I don't like the idea either, Drew," Doc said, "But we might need him."

"No, I'll handle Argost myself if I have…"

"It's not Argost I'm worried about." Doc said.

"Then what is it?" Cassie asked.

Doc lead everyone to another room. He pressed a button and it projected a holographic map of South America. Right beside it was an image of what appeared to be a large feline, but it didn't look like a lion or a tiger or any other known cat.

"Manaus, Brazil, the heart of the Amazon Rainforest." Doc said. "The last Kur Stone piece is buried here."

"Why would you bury it there?" Cassie asked.

"Like I said before, it's not unguarded." Drew said. "There's a watering hole there for the Tapire-Iaurara."

"The tappy what now?" Cassie asked.

"Tapire-Iauara, one of the most dangerous cryptids in South America. Amphibious. Predatory. Fearless. They're why we chose this hiding spot. Nature's security system."

"We've watched that riverbank for weeks just to get a safe five-minute window to bury the stone." Doc said. "If we can't stop Argost before he gets there, we'll have to hold off those cryptids long enough to retrieve the stone piece."

"You need my powers." Zak realized.

"Powers?" Cassie asked. "Wait, like you're a metahuman or something?"

"Actually, yeah." Zak said. "I can't explain why, but I sort of have this psychic connection with cryptids. I can even influence them. Yeah, I think I can do this."

"Psychic connection with cryptids?" Cassie asked. "Well, I guess at this point, I doubt there's anything out there that can surprise me anymore."


When Victor Stone opened his eyes and woke up in the laboratory, he soon realized that he couldn't feel his left one. Immediately after, he saw that half of his vision was red and looked like it was a computer screen. Several signs appeared on his red vision's side such as "SUBJECT AWAKENS" and "VITALS STABILIZED".

"Wha… What happened?" Victor asked. He turned his head and saw his father standing over him. He could tell that he looked like he was about to have a heart attack a minute ago. "Dad?"

"Victor, you're alive." Silas said in relief. "I'm so happy."

"Dad, what's going on?" Victor asked. "Why do I…" He reached out to his dad, but stopped when he noticed his pure, metal, silver-colored hand. He followed his arm and saw that it was pure metal now. And like half of his face, he couldn't feel it either. He couldn't feel most of his body anymore. "Dad?"

"Son, please, calm down." Silas tried to assure his son.

"What did you do to me?" Victor asked.

"What I had to. If I didn't you would have died." Silas said.

Victor breathed heavily before standing up. He looked down, and unsurprising to him, most of his body was made up of metal. The only different was the red light source that shined in the middle of his chest.

Victor looked around and saw a mirror which he rushed to get to. He looked right at his reflection and was horrified by what he saw. He lost his breath saw that while the right side of his head and his mouth area was still flesh and blood, most of the rest of his body was pure metal and robot. He was no longer human. Just half-man, half-machine.

He was a cyborg.