The Masked Matterhorn #11-Rise of The Kraken Part 4
As the night sky was over the city, both Matterhorn and Radiance were heading towards the Canterlot Penitentiary.
"Canterlot Penitentiary, home to some of the city's most dangerous criminals, and an almost impossible place to break out of. Lucky for us, we're trying to break in," Matterhorn said.
"Let's save the word "lucky" for after we're finished, okay? Tell me again why we're doing this," Radiance as both were inisde the prison.
"Caleb Simon claims he destoryed Vargas. But really Varags is actually Stargazer Shadow. So if Vargas is gone that means Shadow should be gone too. Unless, Caleb is lying," Matterhorn explain.
"Caleb Simon? Lie? You honestly don't belive that?" Radiance scoffed her.
"You jest, but I haven't been able to convice Monica otherwise," Mattehorn said. "So if we find Warren here tonight, it'll go a long way to proving my point. Caleb has people everywhere who are willing to lie for him. So I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes."
Both of them quietly made their way through the prison.
"Professor Stargazer?" Asked Mattehorn.
"Mattehorn?"
"I knew it. Simon claimed he took Vargas out."
"Vargas? Gone? That explains why my beastly counterpart hasn't checked in.
I'm sorry to hear that, Mattehorn.:Stargazer step into the light then suddenly started to glow. Because we're made in pairs, you see. And if one goes, so must the other. Good-bye."
"Uh, Matterhorn what's going on?" Radiance quiestioned.
"If I were to guess, I think he's having a meltdown," Matterhorn as the professor exploded leaving a pile of goo.
"And so will us, if we don't get moving!" Radiance suggested as the alram went off.
"Good point!" Matterhorn telepored her and Raidance out of there before any guards could find out.
Moments later.
"So I can cross off, breaking out of jail on my bucket list," Radaince said as she place some makeup on.
"At least my hunch paid off for once. Now we know that the Stargazer Shadow in prison and the Vargas at Simon Academy were both fakes. Meaning the real Vargas is still out there somewhere," Matterhorn realzied. "And that's not good if Caleb because if he thinks Vargasis gone, then he and his family open to an attack."
"Shouldn't you warn, Monica, then?"
"Tried to but she isn't speaking to, I'm on thin ice from yesterday," Matterhorn said.
"Then I shall leave you to do it," Radiance gave a bow then created a magic carpet and flew off.
"Magic carpet? That's new."
At Simon Tech...
"I have nothing to say to you, Twily."
"Just hear me out for second. I think Vargas that your dad claims to have destroyed was a clone," Twilight explained.
"A clone, your kidding?"
"I'm not kidding. Matterhorn..."
"Again with Matterhorn! Haven't you learned a damn thing, Twilight?" Monica scolded her. "She's a menace. Did you hear how she broke into prison and possibly elimated Stargazer Shadow?"
"It wasn't Stargazer Shadow."
"It's allow over the news!"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you! The thing Matterhorn confronted in prison wasn't Stargazer. It wasn't even human. So there's a good chance that whatever your dad destroyed wasn't the real Vargas either."
"Now, how do I know you and Spider-Man aren't just trying to diminish my dad's achievement? Because if we were, we would just go to the press."
"Look, if the Jackal is still out there, then my best friend's life could be in danger."
"Which is why I'm here."
"He must be up to something, Harry."
"Why send a Shadow clone to prison and a Vargas clone to Simon Academy, unless you're trying to distract someone from something bigger?"
"The only distraction here, Sparkle, is you. I need to finish this before class. So please go," Monica told her and Twilight left her dorm shortly after finish her work, Monica call her dad's number. "Hey, dad? Can I talk to for a mintue?"
With Twilight, she made to Nexus, to where Moondancer caught with her.
"Twilight, did you hear what Matterhorn did to my uncle?" She asked.
"Moondancer, listen. I have on good authority that that the man in that prison cell was not your uncle. In fact, it was some sort of clone."
"What do you mean? It wasn't him?"
"That's what I'd like to find out. And I could use your help. Do you know if your uncle was working on anything odd? Other than mutating himself into a jackal-crab hybrid - and turning Bronx into a human size elephant?"
"Well put, but I don't know."
"Would it be possible to look around his house? Maybe something there can point us in the right direction."
"Sure. I was heading home for lunch, but we can swing by my uncle's place instead."
Then a limo showed and Monica hopped out.
"Monica?"
"Hey, Moondancer. Twilight, I thought a lot about what you said, and I appreciate your concern. I tried to talk to my dad about it, but his ego's too big to accept the fact that he might not have destroyed the real one. Which means it's up to me to protect him, to protect us. So until we find proof that Varags is really gone, count me in."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Harry, - 'cause we could really use your help."
"Good. Let me start by offering a more comfortable mode of transportation."
...
"That's werid. I thought we'd find more of his reserch but all these paper are from his college day. Ugh!" Moondancer groaned as the girls look through some boxes at her uncle's house.
"You okay?" Monica asked.
"Yeah, sorry. I just... It's still werid for me. First to learn that my uncle was Vargas, and now he might a clone. All I want is some anwsers."
"We'lll figure something out. Now where are the tissues," Twilight removed some book to see a piece on a paper on his desk. "Hey guys any idea what Professor Shadow might've at West End Storage."
Hours later...
"Empty... Didn't see that coming?"
"Why would Uncle Shadow rent such a large space for just one computer?" Moondancer asked.
"And wire it with security cameras?" Monica asked as the camera scanned them only to get Monica and Moondancer.
DNA recognition confirmed.
"What was that?"
Then video on Vargas was on screen.
Hello Caleb.
"Caleb? The DNA Scanner must be confusing me with my dad."
I knew you would come looking for my mutant expermeint.
"Mutant experiment?" Twilight questioned.
And bravo on finding this place. Sadly, it's a dead end. Unless, of course, you came here looking for your demise.
"Look out!" Twilight screamed as the defenses came on.
"Head for the door!" The three ladies made a run for it both Monica and Moondancer got out but Twilight got stuck. "Twilight!"
With Twilight...
"Can't change into Matterhorn in front of the camera," She said then mutiple guns locked on her. "But that might be the least of my problems."
Twilight ran to some cover to avoid the gun fire.
"Gotta keep that secret identity of mine secret," Twilight said then fire a magic blast at a camera which it exploded. "That's one prying eye taken care of."
Then she threw some of her Sparkle Stars on the rest which all exploded.
"I knew that Sparkle Stars would come handy," Twilight said just as the door opened. "Oh, hey guys."
"What happened in here?"
"Oh, I mangae to hard wire one of the guns to fire the others," Twilight simply said in hopes they would buy it. "Any who let's the check the computer."
They went over to the computers to where it was locked.
"None of my uncle passwords work. But I've might something that can help," She place a flash drive in the computer.
"What's that?" Twilight asked.
"A little something I've been cooking up at school. It can't necessarily decrypt files, but it can show us where the files were created."
"Hang on. Wait. I know that IP address. It's Crystal Prep."
At Crystal Prep, the girls were looking through serveal old files on Stargazer.
"Hopefully this isn't just another wild-goose chase," Moondancer saod
"Feels like old times, huh?"
'Cause we just did this at Professor Warren's house?"
"No. I mean, you and I."
"We find a problem, present a hypothesis, and work together to prove it.
I'm really glad you showed up today, Monica."
"It means a lot to me."
"Sure."
"Any idea what we're looking for here? A decryption key or a password list.
"Anything that might unlock Uncle Raymond's files."
"Where would you hide a decryption key?" Twilight wondered then something the desk.
"What are you doing?"
"Look at the floor. This desk is bolted down, but there are deep scuff marks all around it. Almost as if," Twilight clicked a button and the desk started to move.
"It moves. Not what I was expecting, but maybe even better."
"Whoa. A secret underground lair. Where's my treasure map?"
"I'll just be happy if we find those decryption codes. Let's split up and keep searching," Both Twilight and Monica went on ahead.
"You are not the person I thought you were, Uncle Shadow. Wonder how far back this goes."
With Monica and Twilight...
"This is it!"
"What you'd find?"
"Stargazer's mutant experment."
"His what?"
"Dad, I found it. Lock on to my signal. You're clear to come in."
"What? What are you doing?!"
"I played you, Sparkle. My dad told me the whole story. You're right Twily, he does want to destoty, Matterhorn. Cause he's a member of Vargas's mutant army."
"You belive that?"
"Of course I do. Cause from where I stand, you just led us to the very experiment that created Matterhorn's powers."
With Moondancer she found the light switch and turn it on.
"Ah. Here we go," Moondancer said then gasps. "Guys!"
Then both Twilight and Monica heard Moondancer's scream then Twilight ran to her.
"Moondancer, what the... Oh no," Twilight sees pods of Varags clones. "Clones?"
"My uncle seems to be creating dozens of them."
"And giving them...
"Mutant powers! They they are!" Monica the mutan vials.
"He is creating a Mutant army."
"I told you! But he hasn't siphoned their powers yet. I can still prevent this."
"Monica, wait!"
"No, Twi. I'm taking these back Simon Tech and you can't stop me," Monica took one of the vials then the alarm went off and the pods were started to open and clones cornered them.
"I won't stop you, but they might!"
"Got any other bright ideas, Simon?" Moondancer asked her.
"In fact I do!" Monica grinned as part of the wall came down and the Simon Comanders came in and fought the clones.
"Everybody get back! The Oz Commandos will take it from here.
"Step aside, Monica"
"But, Dad, I thought I could be one of the Simon Commanders."
"No. I didn't say that part."
"Let the girl stay, Caleb," Kraken argue as he casuse Vargas clone to hit the ground.
"I am the general of this battalion, David, not you. You are a mere doctor and take orders from me! Now get my dautgher to safety."
- Very well."He complied as he grab Monica out of there as Twilight and Moondancer followed.
Meanwhile, Destyoer fired its blasters at some clones, while Tusk ram a clone into the walls, with Black Hawk doing a sonic scream.
"What is that?"
"Like it. It's my flame sword I've been working on. Change the fuel source for a more hotter flame," Monica slashed a clone with it.
"Can we discuss this later? We need to get to saftey," Moondancer exclaimed as they made a run for it.
"Then why the mask?"
"So I won't inhale the fumes! Look out!"
Some Vargas came at them but Tusk rammed the first which casued the building to come down which seperate Twilight from Monica and Moondancer.
"I'm blocked off, but I can get out through the ceiling! I'll meet you outside eventually," Twilight said as she slipped into her Matterhorn costume.
With Clayton he threw his metal disk at some clones until one of them knock him down but Matterhorn came a kicked with its goo was on her.
"Ew! Sorry. Didn't mean to steal the spotlight from you, but I figured you could use some help," Matterhorn said asshe help him up/
"Matterhorn!"
"These clones are not fully formed. If we agitate their cells enough, they'll degenerate back into their basic primordial building blocks," Crawford said as he eletroucted some.
Then Mattehorn use magic lifted two clones off of Destroyer's back.
"If the sheer number of them doesn't overwhelm us first!" Matterhorn exlciamed as Caleb looks the mutant vial.
"So, this is how you make your mutant army, huh, Stargazer?" Caleb wondered as Black Hawk schreed at a clone to make it splatter. "Well let me show you how to prevent one."
"Caleb, don't! There's valuable research here that we can co-opt," Crawford tried to reason.
"I made that mistake, Crawford. I won't do it again. The only thing left is do destroy it!" He shuted the down the consloe as the clones dispered.
"Gross! It's like fighting pudding that's alive!" Matterhorn shuddered. "Hopefully that's the last of them.
"You may have deafeated the clones, Caleb, but you'll never the defeat the true Vargas," He came out of nowhere and knock Caleb down.
"Decided to make an appearance, huh, Stargazer? Bad move. Comanders, finish him!" He orderd but niehter Black Hawk, Clayton, or Tusk move. "Did you hear me? I said, "Finish him!"
"So sorry, Caleb," Crawford said as he joined Varags. "but any man who disregards the importance of scientific research, no matter how dangerous, doesn't deserve to be in control."
"What?"
"Besides ever since you told me, that Simon Tech owns my tech, I've made it my misson to own Simon Tech. With the help, I might add, of the very mind-control devices Vargas used to control his Tusk army.
"My pleasure," Vargas grinned.
"Did not see that, coming," Matterhorn said as she snapped her fingers of a mind control Black Hawk.
Then Crawford holded Caleb in the air.
"I'll get you for this, you worm!" Caleb exclaimed.
"I'm an Kraken, Caleb," He threw to the other side which crash into the glass pod. "Dr. Kraken! And Deadly Five is in my controlm now! Where's the young Simon?"
"She escaped," Clayton told him.
"Too bad, 'Deadly Six' had better ring to it."
" 'Kracky's future cellmates' has a even better ring to it," Matterhorn quitely said.
"So, Doctor, is the enemy of my enemy my friend?" Varags asked.
"If you hand over the rest of your mind-control research. Otherwise..."
"Done."
"Excellent?"
Then Mattehorn suprise them with her doing a magic blast at both of them.
"Now, that's what I call a hostile takeover," Mattehorn smirked as Vargas retracted his jackal claws and Kraken yells.
"Deadly Five! Destroy her!"
Clayton threw a metal disk at her which Mattehorn duck then fire a ice beam, then Black Hawk goes in only to get knock down by Matterhorn then Destoyer and Kraken try to land to hit as Vargas lunged at her.
Meanwhile, Caleb try to muster himself to finish what he started.
"And now to destroy this thing once and for all!" He grab a large rock and smash it then some green gas got him then got lit up by flame which Matterhorn and the others notice it.
"Oh shit, that doesn't look good," Matterhorn said before Kraken grabed her tossed her aside.
"Deadly Five, retreat!" He orderd them as all of them along with Vargas escaped as the lab came down.
"Don't worry, Caleb! I'll save you!" Matterhorn ran to him but some debris fell on of them.
"Matterhorn don't worry about me! Save my daugher!" Caleb said as more debris came down.
"Monica, please forgive me for this," She went into magic mode and flew out of the hole.
Much later, the firefighters came by the school to deal with fire as Matterhorn look from far just as Zapp came by.
"Uh, Matters, what did I miss?"
"A lot, I tried to save him, despite the fact, he tried to kill. But when you build your empire on pillars of hatred, fear, and betrayal, nothing can stop those walls from tumbling down."
"I know Caleb has done some nasty stuff, but this take the cake."
"Still have to wrap my arounf what happened today. Vargas, Kraken, Monica. Now many bad guys I take down, new ones always seem to be lurking just around the corner," Matterhorn said.