Behind the Lines

The back room of the priest’s house was a scene of controlled chaos. Wesley had set to work creating maps of the buildings he had gleaned out of the minds of those that came for confession while the others got into costume and shared their own stories.

Wesley crossed over to the two women, Michelle and Marta, and gently gripped their shoulders.

“If all this goes wrong get the hell out of here. Run and keep running.”

To Wesley’s surprise they had tears in their eyes as they kissed him on his cheek’s.

With a lump in his throat he turned to change into his costume only to find them both holding his clothes, ready to dress him.

Once fully attired the two women looked at each other before taking off their crosses and clipped them around his neck.

“Come back safe Father.” Michelle told him.

“I’ll try to.” He replied with a smile.

Marta touched his arm and signalled to him her displeasure if he failed to come back.

Wesley signalled back that he had better if only to avoid her wrath. She laughed at that. A wonderful sound in amongst the serious hero’s.

There was a discrete cough from Charles who with the others was waiting to leave by the back door.

Wesley pulled the gas mask over his face and put on the fedora at a jaunty angle and led them out into the woodlands.

The hero’s worked their way quietly through the woods toward the abandoned track into the centre.

Twice they had to lay quietly until a patrol went passed.

On one occasion he used his sensory deprivation rod at a low level to increase the depth of shadow where they were hiding. Eventually they reached the cut fencing they had created the night before. One by one they slipped out into the darkness of the grounds each had a mission to carry out.

The first fell to Salina who was soon up on the roof of the main accommodation building putting the explosives in place and setting the timer before slipping away to the meeting point.

On the roof of the Elite Accommodation block Terry set the timer to light the flares and set off the explosive.

Charles climbed onto the roof of the furnace and set the bomb that Alan had put into place and started it’s timer.

On the roof of the Research Centre Wesley set off his sleep gas bombs. Watching with satisfaction as the vapours were sucked in by the air conditioning unit.

In the tunnel Rex and Theo were now in costume as they made their way to the Slaves compound.

They gave the door a coded knock before entering to be met by the Unknown Soldier, his face and hands now wrapped in bandages like a mummy in a poor horror film. It was a somewhat unsettling look. The Unknown Soldier and five of his agents, two men and three women were armed to the teeth with what the hero’s planted in the broken laundrette and kitchen.

He nodded and cautioned them to silence as a muffled knock was heard on the main door.

It was opened and the others save for the Sandman entered.

“Right.” Said Charles taking charge. “The sleep gas that Sandman released should be dissipating now. He will be coming in from the roof. We will come in from the tunnel.

In an half an hour from now the Unknown Soldier and our devices will cause a diversion. We must be ready to snatch our expanded targets.”

“Expanded Targets?” Theo asked with a raised eyebrow.

“A British bomber pilot, the one we met in London if you can believe it, and a little alien who seems to be the brains of the outfit.”

“Did you say Alien.” Rex stammered.

“Yes I did. He crashed his spacecraft blowing it to bits. Of the two of them he was lucky to survive or so we are expected to believe. ”

“The blown up space ship is a bit of an exaggeration.” Theo told him. “Hourman and I found it in a store room along the tunnels. It’s was intact save for a few scratches. The power cell was depleted but I recharged it using the Cosmic Rod.”

“Well done. Show me? Please?”

Moments later Charles stood looking down at the craft in deep thought.

“Time’s getting on Doctor Midnite.” Theo reminded him.

“Oh yes you are right. old friend.” He said reluctantly. “We need to get this outside for our guest. There is going to be no way we can lift it and take it outside with out the help of a crane.”

“I think I could manage it Doctor.” Rex told him reaching for his Miracol once again.

“No Hourman my friend. We may have use for your power hour later. Fair Play can you get the doors open?”

Terry crossed over and examined its lock minutely for a moment before pulling out his lock picks and within seconds had successfully unlocked it.

He stood up with a sigh.

“They are using the same lock in all their doors.”

“Starman can your Cosmic Rod lift it up and put it outside?”

Theo fiddled with the controls a moment.

“Yes. But the only way I can affect the gravity field round it is to fly over it and extend my field to include it.” Theo reported succinctly. “Boys get those doors open.”

Terry and Alan pushed the double doors open to reveal a large oval room buried in the earth with a cranes hoist hanging above it.

Starman lifted up by the power of the rod to neutralise local gravity around him, flew over the spaceship. With a faint whirr the two rods, the one in Theo’s hand and the miniature one in the craft, interacted lifting it up. Slowly, ever so slowly it pivoted round to point out in to the next room. Barely a few inches from the ground it eased its way out and under the winch. Without a sound it came to a stop and settled onto the floor.

Starman glided back in to join the others.

Charles clasped his shoulder.

“Well done.” He said before beckoning the rest to follow him down the tunnel toward the exit into the Research centre.

Fair Play unlocked it with ease.

“I’ve rigged one of the mine fields to explode if someone takes the cleared path through. All being well they won’t be injured but it should make quite a display. A rat trap one might say.” He told Charles with a grin.

Alan pulled the door open slowly to reveal a guard standing in front of it having a crafty cigarette. It was obvious that he shouldn’t be smoking because of his furtive actions.

The door opened quietly behind him and a pair of hands rapidly pulled him through. There was a muffled struggle for a moment before with a sigh the guard was rendered unconscious.

“Tisk, tisk. If you’re their best then I think we have nothing to worry about?” Alan said wryly as he finished tying the guard to the drain pipe.

Once again he slipped out with the others following cautiously.

Working on hand gestures alone they fanned out as they approached the first of the wards. It was obvious that the stupefying gas had done its work as medics lay drooped over chairs and patients beds.

The one that had shot the woman patient was moaning and trying to stand up.

Charles had no compulsion but crossed over and laid the killer out with a powerful uppercut.

Alan looked over at the man.

“He’s going to have a hell of a bruise when he eventually wakes up.” He observed with a short laugh.

They had reached the far end and the staircase going up to the next floor.

“I managed to tell Rot Wang to be ready on the next floor for the lift.” Salina said as she took the lead, her cat like senses searching for any danger.

She cautiously opened the door at the top of the stairs and padded in.

There was no one to be seen.

“Get Mr Judas Fair Play?” Charles ordered as he pulled out his black out rod. The hair on the back of his neck started to prickle. Something had changed but dammed if he knew what. “Starman take photographs of all the equipment and notes.”

He flicked a small micro dot spy camera across to Theo who caught it skilfully.

“Atom open the pilots ward and get him out ready to leave. Hourman unlock the other side wards ready for examination. I’m going to check out Rot Wang’s bedroom.”

Like a well oiled machine the agents of Justice slipped into action.

“The other wards are locked by some sort of electronic affair.” Rex reported. “Do you want me to bust my way in or wait for Fair Plays help.”

“Wait for me Hourman. There may be a master control in Rot Wang’s room.” Charles told him.

Charles slipped into the room that the scientist was using as a study come bedroom. On the bed was a small case and a valise full of notes and ready to go.

On a desk stood a microphone and three switches. The first switch operated the microphone, the second the side wards doors and a final one marked Emergency Gas. Charles frowned at that a moment before using the switch to unlock the other wards.

With a loud click the doors unlocked and opened slightly.

Alan entered his to find the pilot lying under a sheet and hospital blanket up to his chin.

“Ready?” Alan asked.

“Ready.” He replied throwing off the covers to reveal he was in his RAF blues. They left them in my locker. Well they hardly expected a man with two broken legs and a broken arm to be able to get them. I had visions of escaping in a hospital gown.

He followed Alan out into the main area.

Rex pulled the door of the first sideward open and slipped in. As he became more accustom to the poor light he could make out the shape of the patients in their beds. He wish he couldn’t see what lay in those beds. He would do anything to forget. His stomach lurched into his mouth the bile burning the back of his throat.

As he staggered out wiping his mouth after being sick into a bed pan he was met by Charles trying to come in.

“What’s wrong Hourman?” Charles asked concerned.

“Everything Doctor. Everything.” He stood aside to allow Charles to enter.

Charles came out moments later his face pale.

Inside laying on the floor were three people stitched together to form some kind of millipede. On another bed lay a giant of a man with extra muscles attached to his partly metal frame. Others could barely be seen as human at all.

Laying on the last bed was the pilot. When he saw Charles he pulled back the sheets and broke open the already cut Plaster of Paris arm and leg casts.

“They put me in here an hour ago. Thankfully they didn’t check my plaster casts.”

He was about to speak more but Charles put a finger to his lips and beckoned him to follow.

Charles stood at the door looking at the dressed figure of the pilot that was with Alan.

He was about to say something when all of a sudden Terry burst into action.

He threw his set of lock pick’s at him and watch as they were caught deftly in his right hand. Fair Play didn’t hesitate throwing himself at the figure in the RAF uniform. The impact sent the pair of them to the ground where they wrestled for a moment before Terry managed to apply a Judo strangle hold on his opponent.

“The disguise was good but your body language was all wrong and for the record Parker is left handed.” Terry said as he strengthened his hold.

The changeling went limp as it passed out. It’s face reverted to its normal condition, a featureless blank with holes for nostrils and mouth. The eyes in their smooth sockets were deep orange.

Charles helped his colleague up.

“What the hell was that.” Alan said angrily.

“A chameleon. I had to use my own DNA to form it.”

Standing in the doorway of his room stood Mr Judas.

“Your scout ship is ready and charged up ready for you to go.” Theo told him.

“But it was destroyed!” The little alien said more than puzzled.

“They lied.” Charles said as the realisation of what had bothered him when they first entered the floor. “I am afraid they used your companion for vivisection. I am so sorry.”

“So will they be when I have done with them.” The little creatures eyes turned a deep violet.

Then it hit Charles with the force of a battering ram. The tubes holding Night and Fog were cracked and empty. They had been set up!!

“To arms my friends we have been played for fools!” Charles yelled out angrily.

“Ah. It seems that you have seen through my little ruse.” Rot Wang said coming out off one of the unexplored wards. Behind him where four cloaked figures. From the ward where Rex had been six came the human centipede and the man covered in extra muscles.

“You had no intention of leaving.” Charles said angrily. “It was just to get us here. But why?”

“How else was I going to be able to test my Supermen and Superwomen, in fact I am a little disappointed that Superwoman and the Bat didn’t deign to come.” He sighed theatrically. “It was so simple to get a message out to the resistance and through them out to you. All I had to do was have a village girl raped and the guard that did it slip up and tell her of my wish to escape.

He didn’t even know he had followed my plan.”

He laughed.

“Marta!” Charles like the others was busily working out his options.

“Was that her name? As for names let me introduce the warriors that will kill you.”

Robes dropped off those standing behind him. “You have already met my Venom Grub, Chimera and Ubermench, Superman.”

Charles pointedly ignored him and instead directed his reply to the Blond Adonis and Aphrodite that stood behind him.

“Hello Nacht and Veble. I didn’t expect to see you pair again.”

They looked at him a little puzzled. “You don’t remember me do you.”

“How come you know my Night and Fog? Speak!”

“I was the one that defeated them in America. Because of me they died and I’m more experienced now, stronger. We all are. And we know about your meta humans. Owl and Celsius.”

“How do you know of them?!” Rot Wang screamed unaware that Charles had simply read their sewn in names on their dropped robes.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Charles mocked. “Now let us drop all this banter as we are up to the part where you tell us of your insidious plan.”

“Enough!” The veins stood out on his head.

“Careful or you will give yourself a heart attack. I recommend a less stressful life and Valerian.” Charles mocked as the little alien pilot edged round toward the controls of the main device.

“Kill them!”

Rex slipped a Miracol tablet out of his hourglass necklace and swallowed it. The raw power flooded through him as pure energy poured in to him. His face looked skeletal as the skin stretched over the bones beneath leaving his two manic eyes staring out. He looked like the grim reaper as he roared with ghoulish laughter. He removed the Num Chuckers that he used as a belt around his waist. The two rods of wood separated by a chain flash round his body and from hand to hand.

“Well big boy are you going to join in the fun or are you going to cry for your mum and suck your thumb.” Rex stutter had gone to be replaced with a reckless over confidence.

The big man roared in defiance and launched itself at Rex. Have you ever wondered what would happen if an irresistible force met the ultimate immovable object, well wonder no longer. As the Nazi Superman hit Rex there was something akin to a blast of heat that threw each of them backward and out for the count.

The human millipede reared up spitting venom from each of its different mouths. Theo twisted in midair and sent a blast of stellar energy straight at it. The creature shrivelled up under the heat of the blast and landed in the corner where it lay twitching.

Fog was living up to his name as a miasma of dense vapours began to pour out of his body.

Night pulled out her black out rod but was shocked to see Charles had the one from their previous encounter in his had.

“Snap.” He yelled. “Catwoman she’s all yours.”

There was an explosive crack as Selina’s bullwhips tip broke the sound barrier as it flashed forward and struck Nights rod making it fly from her hand to land spinning on the floor.

“Fool!!” Night yelled. “Do you think that is my only weapon.”

She lifted her hand and darkness poured out of it.

“People lights out!!” Charles yelled.

As one the hero’s lowered their night light goggles. Though it wasn’t perfect it allowed some sight in the darkness.

The Nazi Superman and Hourman struggled back to their feet. Rex taking the advantage jumped at his foe and began raining powerful Kung Fu blows to his adversaries body and head.

“These are courtesy of Mr Win Lo Chung who has trained us in oriental martial arts but my favourite is this one from Ted Grant World Champion Heavyweight boxer.” Rex delivered a stunning uppercut that rocked his opponent back a few steps.

As Charles went forward to take the fight to Fog he was intercepted by the Nazi called The Owl. It seem that Charles wasn’t the only one to see in the dark.

The Owl grabbed at his throat and began to squeeze. Working swiftly Charles lifted his arms up, clasped them, and drove them down with all his strength on his adversaries arms. Once, twice and he was free. With a jerk the hands came away but Charles hadn’t finished yet and he head butted the man on the nose making it erupt with blood.

Outside of the building due to its soundproofing that stopped anyone from hearing the screams of fear and agony of the patients all was quiet.

A rat scampered along searching for food when the delicious smell of ripe cheese assailed his nostrils. Whiskers twitching it scampered over to the edge of the central mine field.

There sitting in a mouse trap was the cheese. Slowly carefully it made its way to the cheese. It wasn’t concerned about the thin wire that ran from it and looped through the landmine triggers. Or for that matter the fact that the trap wouldn’t crush it as a small bar had been fix to it to curtail its deadly downward plunge.

With tiny pink fingers it lifted it off the spike releasing the spring with a resounding clack. As it scrambled off with its prize the spring gave the wire a sharp pull, releasing the triggers of the mines. The whole line erupted their deadly cargo setting of others and like the domino race they set of yet others and so on so in a few seconds they had all erupted with a deafening rolling roar like thunder.

Out of the slave pens the Unknown Soldier and his resistance ran. Making their way to the guards barracks the roof collapsed in an a loud explosion. Those that survived to groggily stagger our were mown down by the resistance workers Tommy guns.

In the heat of battle the explosions could be heard and it made their adversaries hesitate a moment, but the Hero’s took advantage of it.

Charles triggered his rod to suck away the unnatural darkness as Starman sent in a beam of sun light to evaporate the abnormal Fog.

Night and Fog now exposed became the target of Alan and Theo. Rex and the Nazi powerhouse fought with grim purpose. Twice the whirling sticks struck the back of the German powerhouse’s head making him stagger allowing Rex to land a blow that shook the big man to his toes.

The Cat and The Owl looked like stars of a Kung Fu film that would become vogue in the seventies as they danced around each other countering each others blows until the young airman leapt up behind him and laid him low with blow from a large scientific tome.

The Cat smiled at him and purred before throwing herself into the thick of it.

Rex landed a uppercut that landed with such power it lifted the Nazi Superman off his feet and leaving him a crumpled figure in the corner of the room.

“Hourman shoots and yes he scores.” Rex roared with laughter pumping his fist up to the sky.

Theo dropped like a stone to land feet first into the chest of Fog sending him flying while Charles used pressure points to incapacitate Night.

The hero’s of ‘Justice’ had a distinct advantage over their adversaries with their greater experience and their ace up their sleeves, they worked as a team. Swapping targets as required.

“Gas!!” A new voice called from the stairs to the roof.

Acting as one the hero’s pulled out their small gas masks and placed them over their noses and mouth.

With two distinct plops two capsules landed amongst them spewing green smoke. Wesley swung across on his wirepool line and pressed two more gasmasks into the hands of Mr Judas and Parker.

All of the hero’s were looking at their fallen counterparts when the vapours cleared when the shrill sound of a warning siren filled the air.

“What the hell?!” Rex swore. “What have they got now?”

“It isn’t them it’s me.” Mr Judas called from the crude control panel with it’s huge reel to reel tapes whirring. “I’ve set these instruments to overload.”

“I take it that that means a big bang?” Rex asked with a laugh.

“Yes but only on this floor. At least I think so.”

“Right everybody out!” Charles yelled.

“But what about these?” Terry yelled over the rising din pointing at the fallen. “We can’t leave them to die.”

“Bring them with us. Now move!!!”

Each hero had a opponent over their shoulder as they careered down the stairs to the wards below.

As they thundered into the ward below there was an almighty bang and a jet of hot air rushed out from the rooms above blowing the doors open.

“Who’s got Rot Wang?” Charles yelled as he carefully dropped Night into a chair.

“I have.” Yelled Alan as he saw the doctors and nurses starting to wake up.

“Drop the rest and let us get out of here.” Charles yelled.

They careered down the stairs and into the tunnel to the slave quarters.

Eventually they reached the room where the scout ship stood on it’s pallet.

“I’ve tried to charge her up but I’ll be honest I’m not sure how successful I have been.” Theo told the little alien.

“You’re really going to let me go?” Mr Judas said with disbelief.

“Yes, why wouldn’t we?” Theo replied puzzled.

“I thought I was just exchanging one jailer for another. Forgive me I misjudged you, all of you.” His eyes were moist as if he was crying.

“I’m sorry about your friend.” Alan said. “Just for my curiosity why did you come to Earth.”

The alien looked down and shuffled his feet in what appeared to be embarrassment.

“Yes tell these fine Earthlings. I’d like to hear what you are going to tell them.” A tall stately Alien stepped forward. When they stood together you could see some major changes, enough to see they were the nymph and mature stages. “Well come on they are waiting.”

“Dad?” Mr Judas said in horror.

“Can’t face them, and why am I not surprised. My son here and his friend stole a flitter.”

“Borrowed!” Mr Judas intervened.

“Stole!! They came to Earth to participate in the childish game of sightings. They would appear before a frightened group of humans before flying off rapidly and switching on the cloaking device so they would look like they had vanished.

You won’t be troubled again.” He turned angrily to his son. “You’re grounded permanently.”

“But father.” Mr Judas protested.

“But father me nothing. Go back to the main ship your mother is waiting for you.”

Mr Judas looked across to the hero’s as he reached up to close the spaceships hood.

“Goodbye my…”

He stumbled for a moment.

“Goodbye my friends.” He closed the canopy and the flitter lifted of the palate silently before rushing upward through the open roof to vanish as the cloaking device was engaged.

His father looked at the hero’s a little sadly.

“Your planet, your whole solar system, is in quarantine because of the human races barbarous nature. A planet with no hope, but I see that we were wrong. In you I see honour, compassion, loyalty and most of all love. Good luck Hero’s of Justice for you have a long way to go.”

He lifted his hand in salute as he faded away.

“Am I the only one with scrambled brains at what we have just heard.” Alan said scratching his head like Stan Laurel.

“Scrambled brains or not we need to get out of here.” Charles told them as he lead them away.

He opened the door to the slaves compound to find many of the slaves crouched down their hands over their ears in fear.

Terry crossed over to them.

“We have a way out of here all you have to do is follow us.” He told them whiles Charles gave Rot Wang a short to keep him asleep.

Salina had opened the outside door slightly and was peering out in to a scene that appealed to her chaotic nature.

“Leave them Fair Play.” Theo said laying a hand on the crouching Terry’s shoulder.

“We just can’t leave them.” Terry protested.

“They are beyond help now. If we don’t get out with Rot Wang their sacrifice will be for nothing.” Theo persisted.

Terry reluctantly got up and followed the others outside in to the mayhem.

Outside was a scene that fitted Dante’s vision of hell.