CHAPTER 3
METAL DETECTING
Location: Edmonton, Canada Place: Edmonton Convention Centre
There is an annual Edmonton Cyber Convention going on as there are several booths from several technological companies, displaying their new products that may soon reach the market. There are herd of people that come to this convention and are occupying the booths and whatever catches their sight. Matt, Bruce and Gloria come to the center open area of the convention.
Gloria, she looks around the convention and says, "Can't believe I'm doing this, I'm normally not a fan of these conventions.
Matt says, "We had to come here, where there is new technology, there is always VENOM."
Bruce says, "That is possible, after all yesterday there was that Blackout we've had yesterday, along with the cell signal down; a blinding tactic, to hit this convention."
Matt says, "It's possible, VENOM has pulled off some extreme moves in the past; however, it's not like them to telegraph there moves."
Gloria says, "Also wouldn't it make more sense logically to take out the electricity and cell signal, during this convention; it would make the convention vulnerable to theft and getting hit?"
Matt says, "Yes, but we have no way of knowing the answers, so we have no choice but to scout this convention.
Bruce says, "So, what's the plan Matt."
Matt looks at both Gloria and Bruce and says, "You, Bruce will go to the west wing, Gloria and I will take the east."
Bruce says, "Wilco."
All three of them they split up in the convention and as they are patrolling, they are looking at all the tech.
Both Matt and Gloria go to a booth. Both of they have the gloves and are looking at each other. Both have seen through visors on. Gloria makes some hand signs and there is some text. Matts then does the same thing.
Gloria's text says, "Very interesting way of communication, but aren't you afraid of dehumanization.
Matt's does sign language and the text says, 'Oh, Gloria your being pessimistic, look to the positive side this could be one of the next steps in communication, but also just simply another form, just like with trying new racing cars, and knowing you I know you never pass up on that offer."
Gloria has a small smile and signs, and the text says, "You make a valid point, and you were to get me on my love for race cars."
"Through one other question is this your idea for patrolling."
Matt signs and the text says, "Research and testing of new tech is just as important; besides we searched the section and no activity thus far."
Gloria signs and the text says, "Still it doesn't hurt to do one more sweep but also…."
Gloria then suddenly takes the gloves and the visor off.
Matt is a little surprised by what she's doing and sees she comes near him and then has her hands take his and Gloria says, "Personally I still prefer the direct approach."
Matt has a small smile and then Gloria she takes the visor off and he says, "So do I." He then delivers the kiss back hard as she does also.
Meanwhile, Bruce looks at a lot of people that are at plenty of computer stations and in one station Bruce looks at he sees people that are engaged in a recent volume of the "Aero Buster" flight simulator program game as they are flying one of the jet planes in the air, right over what looks like canyon area.
Flashback: As he looks, he remembers when he was still in college, and he was engaged in a past volume of the "Aero Buster" flight simulator program in his dormitory where he is flying one of the military jets and is engaged in maneuvers in canyon area. Taking a break from his studies, he is enjoying what he's doing until he suddenly has two slender hands that cover his eyes. Bruce, he smiles, and he gently takes the hands off and he then turns, and he sees a slender young woman who looks of bohemian heritage, white skin and has red and black hair that is a wild style.
Back at the present: Bruce then hears some sort of crash in a part of the convention and even hears lots of people running in terror and panic like a stampede. Bruce looks at the direction of the crash and he sees what looks like almost a mummy like creature only instead of bandages it's covered with metal strands.
As the Metal Man slowly walks the convention, it's eyes from the open horizontal part of its head, they glow bright red. It then extends its arms and fingers and then shooting out from its arms and fingers are metal strands that are expanding and are moving like snakes. Each of the strands they move toward one of the terminals. The strand finds a bulky box terminal and then the strand goes through one of the groves and then suddenly sucks out some electricity energy. But the terminal screen displays pictures and text at a rapid pace until the computer screen flickers out. The strands do this to many of the other computers and even tech that's laying around.
Bruce he then taps a button on his watch and then suddenly an orange light covers his whole body, along with some electricity that surrounds it. Then the light fades and Bruce is in his uniform with light brown and orange colored armor, along with his orange mask. Matt and Gloria follow suit as they press a button from there wrist watches and lights envelope both, Matt it's yellow orange and Gloria emerald, green. Once the lights fade, Matt he's in his grey and red racer like outfit with his red mask and Gloria her blue paints, green shirt, gold plated body armor along with gold diver like mask.
Both Matt and Gloria they approach the direction of the Metal Man carefully and with stealth as they hide from its sight. Matt then from his holsters he takes two of his handguns out and assembles them to make a two-handed machine gun. From his jacket he takes out a silver magazine and he then slaps it onto an empty spot on his gun. Matt then looks at Gloria and says, "Cover me."
Gloria says, "Will do beautiful."
Matt behind the mask has a small smile and then as he comes out. Gloria with her mask discharges her Aura energy which envelops Matt in what is an energy force field and then Matt raises his riffle and then as he takes steps forward, he then hears a swish and turns immediately to his left and he sees a few of the snakelike strands that are coming at him and Matt discharges a semi auto fire toward the strands.
The strands break from the bullets. Matt then finds a few others from different directions that come to attack him. Matt points the gun at the group of strands and cuts them down. But then there are multiple ones. Matt then discharges and shoots a few of those strands. But more of the strands come from many other places in multiple directions. Matt continuously discharges, but no matter how many strands he cuts down there were several strands that took the place of the cut strands. Each of the strands were beating against the energy shield that Gloria puts up. But Matt knows it won't last and Gloria is seeing from the status screen in her mask the energy shield counter is counting down and going to 30 percent, realizing Gloria's mask energy is fading fast. Matt continues firing until his magazine runs dry. Suddenly the strands from the metal man all gather to form what looks like a wrecking ball. The ball makes contact and knocks Matt back, and he crashes into a table. Gloria goes down as that blow to the energy field it has hurt her head.
Burce gets in on the fight, he sees the metal man and with his mask he activates the lifter power. The mask emits an orange yellow beam, and it hits the metal man. Bruce tries to tip or shake it off balance, but Bruce is unable to, as if the Metal Man was directly rooted to the floor. The metal man sees Bruce and then with its left hand it puts it palm up facing his direction. The suddenly it extends it left arm and then shoots it out extending it more and it's a giant metal fist that connects with Bruce and he is violently knocked back and crashes through into one of the booths.
The metal man then reels back it's metal strands and then it walks away with the light blue bodily glow. Matt, Gloria and Bruce they get up and try to walk off their pain but also recover their bearings and then run after the metal man. They come outside the convention doors but are unable to see the metallic creature.
All three look left and right puzzled by it's disappearance.
Bruce says, "Logic dictates this would be impossible."
Bruce, Gloria and Matt, they are back at Bolder Hill base, and both are in the war room, all three sitting at the round table gathering what they know and strategizing.
Matt says, "How can something that big and slow be gone from our sight for a mere minute."
Gloria says, "You think this is another of VENOM's tricks."
"No, they along with us don't have tech that sophisticated, in fact…."
Matt looks at the metallic strip they were able to collect, along with the steel wire. "We have nothing on Earth I know about that can make this possible."
Bruce says, "I can get this sample studied."
Matt says, "I have a feeling that we might need help with this one as dealing with things like this is not normally in my set of expertise.
Matt then pauses in a long silence, Gloria notices this and says, "I know that pause, Matt you're thinking about him."
He then looks to his wristwatch communicator and says, "He's the only one I know, that has expertise in the unexplained phenomena field." Matt then presses a crimson red button on the right.
And the signal goes straight to the wristwatch of a certain wearer that is now seeing the MASK symbol blink rabidly on the display screen. After seeing it the person immediately moves.