"Damn."
"That about sums up how I'm feeling too," Samantha nodded.
"This Silver Skull guy..." Eric sighed, shaking his head, "He's going too far. He should leave the criminals to the cops."
"In that case- shouldn't we?" Samantha asked.
"Do we stomp on heads?" Eric countered.
"We're still vigilantes."
"But we're not murderers. We need to catch this Silver Skull."
"I just wish we knew who they were," Samantha said.
"We both know who it is under that Skull mask," Eric said.
"We don't know for sure," Samantha replied.
"Sam, whatever Jason Locke you think you knew died when Turner Root shot him through the head," Eric said.
Samantha turned away.
"I'm sorry," Eric sighed, "I shouldn't have said that. But you've got to realize that Jason is the Silver Skull. A murderer. And as heroes, it's out job to bring him to justice."
"I guess you're right. Suit up."
Eric put on a small steel backpack, and whistled a quick tune of four notes. The backpack expanded, forming the Midnight Owl suit. Eric pulled down his yellow visor over his eyes, and flashed a thumbs up to Samantha. Sam clenched her fists, and erupted into flames.
"Let's get this guy," Eric said. He and Samantha stepped into the secret elevator that led to their base. From their base, they flew through a tunnel that came up a few miles away from Shields Corporation. That way, no one would catch on to the fact that their base of operations was in Samantha's business headquarters.
"Follow me Midnight Owl," Samantha instructed, using Eric's Alpha Name in case anyone was listening in.
"On your tail Flare," Eric nodded. They soared towards Jason's house, and touched down right outside his door.
"So, do we knock?" Samantha asked, unsure of what to do. Jason was her friend, after all. She refused to accept that he was the murderer known as the Silver Skull. Targeting criminals, but then showing no mercy. He was a lawless criminal. In trying to rid the city of crime, he became one of the biggest villains.
"This guy is basically a supervillain," Eric said, "We're not knocking."
Eric aimed his armored arm at the door, and two tiny missiles shot towards the wooden door. There was a bright flash, and when the smoke cleared, Jason's door was in splinters. Jason himself was standing where the door once was.
"WHAT THE HELL?" Jason roared.
"Sorry," Samantha peeped.
"Silver Skull," Eric began in his deep, disguised voice, "You are under arrest for multiple cases of first-degree murder. Along with countless other crimes, but I figure those will be enough."
"To hell with you Lange," Jason growled. Eric's only response was another round of missiles aimed at Jason. Jason caught the missiles, and they exploded in his fists. He didn't flinch.
"I'd say he's definitely our guy," Eric said, assuming an attack position. His legs were crouched, his fists raised. His jetpack was on standby.
"Jason, this isn't you," Samantha said.
"The Jason you knew is dead," Jason growled, "I don't even know why I have that name anymore. Jason Locke is dead. I am... the Silver Skull."
Jason whipped a sleek pistol out from his waistband, and fired at Samantha. Of course, the bullets melted before they could reach her, but she felt hurt on the inside.
"Can I bring down this criminal now?" Eric asked, impatiently.
"You're better than this Jason," Samantha said.
"Stop saying that name," Jason growled in a warning tone.
"Your daughter wouldn't want this."
"Don't you mention her..." Jason said, clenching his jaw.
"Avery wouldn't want this."
Jason unleashed a primal roar, and lunged at Samantha. Samantha flew upwards to avoid the attack. Jason turned around, and jumped onto Eric.
"Get off me you psycho!" Eric yelled, trying to bat Jason away. Jason tore away the shoulder on Eric's armor. Then, he jammed his pistol inside, and fired into Eric's shoulder.
"SAMANTHA GET YOUR LUNATIC FRIEND OFF OF ME!"
"Sorry Jason," Samantha apologized. She aimed her arms at Jason, and unleashed an inferno. Jason was blasted back, and Eric had to duck to avoid the searing flames.
"About damn time!" Eric yelled, grumpily. The smoke began to clear, and Samantha and Eric realized that Jason had escaped.
"Jason?" Samantha asked, absentmindedly.
"All that for nothing?" Eric shouted, "My armor is torn, and I have a bullet in my shoulder. What a day."
"We'll find him," Samantha said, looking defeated. Jason really was dead. Silver Skull was all that was left.
"For now we need to fix my suit. And my shoulder."
Silver Skull had a pistol to a woman's head.
"You really are a monster," he said coolly, "I guess murdering your husband wasn't enough, was it? Your kids, too. Disgusting."
"You're going straight to hell," the woman said, trying to sound calm.
"See you there."
Silver Skull pulled the trigger, stood up, and walked away.
Suddenly, a police car pulled up, and an officer stepped out. He had his rifle out, and aimed at Silver Skull.
"Surrender!" the officer ordered.
"Fire away officer," Silver Skull shrugged, "All it will do is piss me off. And I'm dangerous when I'm pissed. You've been warned."
The officer's aim was shaky, but he managed to hit Silver Skull in the hip. He winced, and closed his eyes. His skin began to reform, pushing the bullet out from his hip. The officer dropped his rifle in shock. Silver Skull charged, and scooped up the rifle. He broke it in half over the officer's head, then proceeded to beat him with both halves mercilessly.
"I'll leave you alive," Silver Skull said, "Only because we're not so different. You and I. We're both dedicated to taking down criminals. We just have different methods. And while we may not agree, we're on the same side. Get on my bad side again, and I don't stop beating you. You've been warned."
Silver Skull hopped on his Skullcycle, his motorcycle with the skull in front, and sped off.
"I've managed to temporarily patch up your suit," Samantha said, "We'll need more repairs later, but it should work for now. How's the Trametecan -1 working for you?"
"Wonderfully," Eric said. Samantha had engineered a weakened version of the Trametecan given to Jason. She worried something in the drug was what caused Jason to go all murder-y.
"Are you ready to go out and find Silver Skull?" Eric asked.
"Yes," Samantha nodded, letting flames ripple upwards from her feet.
"I mean mentally ready."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not," Eric disagreed.
"I need to be," Samantha replied, "Nova City needs me to be. So I am."
Eric sighed, "Let's catch this crook."
Eric and Samantha flew through their tunnel, and shot out of the ground. Samantha had been running an algorithm to pinpoint spots that the Silver Skull had been frequently spotted at, and triangulated from there. The most likely was behind the Peder's General Store. A small store in the suburbs around Nova City. They headed to the location, and sure enough, they spotted Silver Skull riding off on his "Skullcycle". A badly wounded police officer was lying on the ground behind the store.
"You take care of the officer," Eric instructed, "I'll take on Silver Skull. There's nothing holding me back from destroying him."
Samantha nodded, without saying a word, and dipped down towards the police officer. Eric sped towards Silver Skull. When he was directly over Silver Skull, he cut the power in his jetpack, and glided down towards the Skullcycle. When he was few feet above Silver Skull, the murderous vigilante pulled out a Desert Eagle and fired at Eric. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of his armor. Eric landed on the Skullcycle, and put Silver Skull in a headlock. Silver Skull pried away Eric's arms, denting his armor, and nearly shattering his bones. Eric fell backwards, tumbling away from the Skullcycle.
"You're not getting away this time," Eric growled. He aimed both arms towards the Skullcycle, and let four missiles fly towards the motorcycle. They slammed into the hull of the Skullcycle, and the vehicle combusted. Silver Skull was flung forwards, and rolled to a stop. Eric stepped over the burning heap of wreckage, and looked down at Silver Skull. The Skull looked defeated. He tried to get back to his feet, but collapsed again.
"Silver Skull," Eric said, triumphantly, "You are under arrest."
Eric marched over to Silver Skull, and yanked him up off of the ground. He slid a small switch down on the arm of his suit, and put his fist against Silver Skull's head. Instead of missiles, he would fire a tranquilizer dart. He wasn't a murderer.
"Nighty night," Eric grinned. He began to fire the tranquilizer dart when Silver Skull twisted his arm around so that it pointed at his own face. The tranquilizer dart shattered his visor when it was fired at point blank, and lodged itself between his eyes.
Eric collapsed.
"You're a criminal too," Silver Skull growled, "A vigilante. In case you didn't know, that's illegal. I'm doing the police a favor by turning you in Lange."
"Go to hell," Eric moaned as he began to nod off.
"I get that a lot," Silver Skull admitted, "And I always give the same reply: see you there."
"That about sums up how I'm feeling too," Samantha nodded.
"This Silver Skull guy..." Eric sighed, shaking his head, "He's going too far. He should leave the criminals to the cops."
"In that case- shouldn't we?" Samantha asked.
"Do we stomp on heads?" Eric countered.
"We're still vigilantes."
"But we're not murderers. We need to catch this Silver Skull."
"I just wish we knew who they were," Samantha said.
"We both know who it is under that Skull mask," Eric said.
"We don't know for sure," Samantha replied.
"Sam, whatever Jason Locke you think you knew died when Turner Root shot him through the head," Eric said.
Samantha turned away.
"I'm sorry," Eric sighed, "I shouldn't have said that. But you've got to realize that Jason is the Silver Skull. A murderer. And as heroes, it's out job to bring him to justice."
"I guess you're right. Suit up."
Eric put on a small steel backpack, and whistled a quick tune of four notes. The backpack expanded, forming the Midnight Owl suit. Eric pulled down his yellow visor over his eyes, and flashed a thumbs up to Samantha. Sam clenched her fists, and erupted into flames.
"Let's get this guy," Eric said. He and Samantha stepped into the secret elevator that led to their base. From their base, they flew through a tunnel that came up a few miles away from Shields Corporation. That way, no one would catch on to the fact that their base of operations was in Samantha's business headquarters.
"Follow me Midnight Owl," Samantha instructed, using Eric's Alpha Name in case anyone was listening in.
"On your tail Flare," Eric nodded. They soared towards Jason's house, and touched down right outside his door.
"So, do we knock?" Samantha asked, unsure of what to do. Jason was her friend, after all. She refused to accept that he was the murderer known as the Silver Skull. Targeting criminals, but then showing no mercy. He was a lawless criminal. In trying to rid the city of crime, he became one of the biggest villains.
"This guy is basically a supervillain," Eric said, "We're not knocking."
Eric aimed his armored arm at the door, and two tiny missiles shot towards the wooden door. There was a bright flash, and when the smoke cleared, Jason's door was in splinters. Jason himself was standing where the door once was.
"WHAT THE HELL?" Jason roared.
"Sorry," Samantha peeped.
"Silver Skull," Eric began in his deep, disguised voice, "You are under arrest for multiple cases of first-degree murder. Along with countless other crimes, but I figure those will be enough."
"To hell with you Lange," Jason growled. Eric's only response was another round of missiles aimed at Jason. Jason caught the missiles, and they exploded in his fists. He didn't flinch.
"I'd say he's definitely our guy," Eric said, assuming an attack position. His legs were crouched, his fists raised. His jetpack was on standby.
"Jason, this isn't you," Samantha said.
"The Jason you knew is dead," Jason growled, "I don't even know why I have that name anymore. Jason Locke is dead. I am... the Silver Skull."
Jason whipped a sleek pistol out from his waistband, and fired at Samantha. Of course, the bullets melted before they could reach her, but she felt hurt on the inside.
"Can I bring down this criminal now?" Eric asked, impatiently.
"You're better than this Jason," Samantha said.
"Stop saying that name," Jason growled in a warning tone.
"Your daughter wouldn't want this."
"Don't you mention her..." Jason said, clenching his jaw.
"Avery wouldn't want this."
Jason unleashed a primal roar, and lunged at Samantha. Samantha flew upwards to avoid the attack. Jason turned around, and jumped onto Eric.
"Get off me you psycho!" Eric yelled, trying to bat Jason away. Jason tore away the shoulder on Eric's armor. Then, he jammed his pistol inside, and fired into Eric's shoulder.
"SAMANTHA GET YOUR LUNATIC FRIEND OFF OF ME!"
"Sorry Jason," Samantha apologized. She aimed her arms at Jason, and unleashed an inferno. Jason was blasted back, and Eric had to duck to avoid the searing flames.
"About damn time!" Eric yelled, grumpily. The smoke began to clear, and Samantha and Eric realized that Jason had escaped.
"Jason?" Samantha asked, absentmindedly.
"All that for nothing?" Eric shouted, "My armor is torn, and I have a bullet in my shoulder. What a day."
"We'll find him," Samantha said, looking defeated. Jason really was dead. Silver Skull was all that was left.
"For now we need to fix my suit. And my shoulder."
Silver Skull had a pistol to a woman's head.
"You really are a monster," he said coolly, "I guess murdering your husband wasn't enough, was it? Your kids, too. Disgusting."
"You're going straight to hell," the woman said, trying to sound calm.
"See you there."
Silver Skull pulled the trigger, stood up, and walked away.
Suddenly, a police car pulled up, and an officer stepped out. He had his rifle out, and aimed at Silver Skull.
"Surrender!" the officer ordered.
"Fire away officer," Silver Skull shrugged, "All it will do is piss me off. And I'm dangerous when I'm pissed. You've been warned."
The officer's aim was shaky, but he managed to hit Silver Skull in the hip. He winced, and closed his eyes. His skin began to reform, pushing the bullet out from his hip. The officer dropped his rifle in shock. Silver Skull charged, and scooped up the rifle. He broke it in half over the officer's head, then proceeded to beat him with both halves mercilessly.
"I'll leave you alive," Silver Skull said, "Only because we're not so different. You and I. We're both dedicated to taking down criminals. We just have different methods. And while we may not agree, we're on the same side. Get on my bad side again, and I don't stop beating you. You've been warned."
Silver Skull hopped on his Skullcycle, his motorcycle with the skull in front, and sped off.
"I've managed to temporarily patch up your suit," Samantha said, "We'll need more repairs later, but it should work for now. How's the Trametecan -1 working for you?"
"Wonderfully," Eric said. Samantha had engineered a weakened version of the Trametecan given to Jason. She worried something in the drug was what caused Jason to go all murder-y.
"Are you ready to go out and find Silver Skull?" Eric asked.
"Yes," Samantha nodded, letting flames ripple upwards from her feet.
"I mean mentally ready."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not," Eric disagreed.
"I need to be," Samantha replied, "Nova City needs me to be. So I am."
Eric sighed, "Let's catch this crook."
Eric and Samantha flew through their tunnel, and shot out of the ground. Samantha had been running an algorithm to pinpoint spots that the Silver Skull had been frequently spotted at, and triangulated from there. The most likely was behind the Peder's General Store. A small store in the suburbs around Nova City. They headed to the location, and sure enough, they spotted Silver Skull riding off on his "Skullcycle". A badly wounded police officer was lying on the ground behind the store.
"You take care of the officer," Eric instructed, "I'll take on Silver Skull. There's nothing holding me back from destroying him."
Samantha nodded, without saying a word, and dipped down towards the police officer. Eric sped towards Silver Skull. When he was directly over Silver Skull, he cut the power in his jetpack, and glided down towards the Skullcycle. When he was few feet above Silver Skull, the murderous vigilante pulled out a Desert Eagle and fired at Eric. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of his armor. Eric landed on the Skullcycle, and put Silver Skull in a headlock. Silver Skull pried away Eric's arms, denting his armor, and nearly shattering his bones. Eric fell backwards, tumbling away from the Skullcycle.
"You're not getting away this time," Eric growled. He aimed both arms towards the Skullcycle, and let four missiles fly towards the motorcycle. They slammed into the hull of the Skullcycle, and the vehicle combusted. Silver Skull was flung forwards, and rolled to a stop. Eric stepped over the burning heap of wreckage, and looked down at Silver Skull. The Skull looked defeated. He tried to get back to his feet, but collapsed again.
"Silver Skull," Eric said, triumphantly, "You are under arrest."
Eric marched over to Silver Skull, and yanked him up off of the ground. He slid a small switch down on the arm of his suit, and put his fist against Silver Skull's head. Instead of missiles, he would fire a tranquilizer dart. He wasn't a murderer.
"Nighty night," Eric grinned. He began to fire the tranquilizer dart when Silver Skull twisted his arm around so that it pointed at his own face. The tranquilizer dart shattered his visor when it was fired at point blank, and lodged itself between his eyes.
Eric collapsed.
"You're a criminal too," Silver Skull growled, "A vigilante. In case you didn't know, that's illegal. I'm doing the police a favor by turning you in Lange."
"Go to hell," Eric moaned as he began to nod off.
"I get that a lot," Silver Skull admitted, "And I always give the same reply: see you there."