Trident Force Chronicles

by Paul Richardson

  "Dad, why are we so normal?" said J.J. which took Jack Spade so back, that he was at a loss for words. "I mean, you and mom rarely fight. You guys are not divorced. And I don't really hate you."

  "Son, we are far from normal." said Jack Spade as J.J. turned around to face his father. "For one thing, I am a crime fighter. And most families have two or more kids. But shortly after you were born, your mother got cancer and had to remove her uterus. You know what a uterus is, right?" The boy nodded. "And so none of this is normal. We just try to live our lives according to the Bible and trust in God, you hear what I am saying son?" J.J. nodded. "Okay, we'll talk more about this at the dinner table? Your mom said it was almost ready on my way in here."

  Again, J.J. could only nod because tears were flowing from his eyes. They both got up from the bed and out the room, followed shortly by the puppy Cooper.

  Mantis Skin #4

  (2013/04/15)

  Johnny Kobayashi didn't want to be anywhere near Texas A&M University for a while shortly after Mary Adams' murder. The man who shot Mary Adams was never caught and Johnny Kobayashi was angry at the cops, if for only a little while. In reality, Johnny Kobayashi blamed himself for not going after that guy. So after being ahead of his class and lab work for some time now, Johnny Kobayashi took off to spend a month in Boston to clear his head after Mary Adams' funeral. Some friends promised they would take down notes for Johnny Kobayashi during lectures.

  Johnny Kobayashi was starting to enjoy his time in Boston. He was doing some shopping on Marlborough Street, when a couple of people told Johnny Kobayashi about the 117th annual Boston Marathon. It was Patriots' Day and everyone was in good spirits. Johnny Kobayashi then made his way to Boylston Street via Gloucester Street. Johnny Kobayashi saw, and was highly tempted to go into, the Marathon Sports store at the marathon's finish line, but it was so very crowded, so he turned right and headed west where the marathon runners were just starting to come from.

  People were cheering as the runners came in. The positive attitudes all around brought a smile to Johnny Kobayashi's face. It was not just about winning the marathon, it was also about finishing the marathon. As an athlete himself, Johnny Kobayashi knew the importance of winning and finishing what you started. Johnny Kobayashi reflected on this and resolved to finish Texas A&M University, get his Doctor of Engineering degree, and finish the armor that he was working on based of his skin.

  At around 1:30 PM, Johnny Kobayashi saw the Lir Irish Pub & Restaurant and decided to take in lunch there. It was indeed busy and took him half an hour to actually sit down, but worth the wait. While he did not have anything to eat all day, Johnny Kobayashi wasn't very hungry and just had Clam Chowder and the Italian Panini. After lunch Johnny Kobayashi stopped into Trader Joe's and got himself a couple Two Buck Chucks to take back to his hotel room for later.

  Then Johnny Kobayashi kept going west when he heard the explosion...

  BOOM!

  Twelve seconds later...

  BOOM!

  Johnny Kobayashi flashed back to the night Mary Adams died. The explosions only sounding like the awful gun shots Johnny Kobayashi heard when that criminal thug killed Mary Adams. Johnny Kobayashi was on his knees, covering his ears, and tears pouring from his face.

  He did not know how long he was down on his knees when a cop came up to Johnny Kobayashi and shook him awake. "Hey buddy, you okay?"

  "No." said Johnny Kobayashi as he lowered his hands from his ears. The bag that held his Two Buck Chucks was also the same bag that had the two shirts he just bought. The bottles of wine were both broken and everything was ruined. "But I am unhurt and will live."

  "Alright buddy, I still want you to see the paramedics and they will make sure." said the police officer helping Johnny Kobayashi to his feet and walked Johnny Kobayashi to the nearest paramedic. Johnny Kobayashi knew that he wasn't hurt because his skin was completely impenetrable. Johnny Kobayashi looked east to where the blast was and saw a couple of Boston's superheroes along with Boston's police officers and paramedics trying to bring order to the chaos. "Do not worry, buddy. We will bring whoever did this to justice."

  Johnny Kobayashi had further resolved to finish his education because of Mary Adams' death and the marathon. Now Johnny Kobayashi was going to be a superhero himself when Johnny Kobayashi got back to Westgate City, because of the senseless murder everywhere.

  Trident Force #4

  (2015/11/07)

  Blue Star, Red Spade, and Mantis Skin stood atop the tallest building in the East Melbourne neighborhood of Leftover Hill in late afternoon. Up seven stories, the people down below could not see them unless they looked straight up. They pretty much had the same equipment on, except Blue Star had a new quiver in which the arrows were perfectly aligned in a four by five pattern.

  "Now, Blue Star," said Mantis Skin to his teammate when he gave to this her earlier in the day. "That quiver is of my own designed. Each of those arrows have twenty ready to pop up to replace them. I will not bore you with the details on how that is done. So, you basically have four hundred and twenty arrows in that quiver. Do not pull any out right now, as it is not reloadable. I have thoroughly tested them, so it does work."

  "Amazing!" said Blue Star as she put it on. "It is lightweight too! If I was not a lesbian, I have sex with you right now!"

  "My loss, surely." said Mantis Skin with a grin and a blush. He knew she was joking with him. The older woman was very attractive and she had caught him looking out the corner of his eye on more than one occasion. Blue Star was able to tease Mantis Skin unlike Red Spade, who was married.

  Now on the rooftop looking at the protests, they hoped they did not have to use it. Chants such as "Hey-Hey! Ho-Ho! Sentinel Has Got To Go!" and signs like "#ArrestSentinel" and "#OurLivesMatter" mirroring the other movement that more or less started in August 2014. Westgate City has been largely untouched by that other movement.

  "I don't get it," said Red Spade. "The protesters don't have a permit to hold these and the mayor is just letting this happen."

  "Common, Red Spade, they are just blowing off steam." answered Blue Star. "They have First Amendment rights too."

  "And no one is preventing that." responded Red Spade. "I am not one to be pro-government here, but permits are there for organizers and cities services, like Westgate EMS, to work together."

  "Oh no!" said Blue Star after a few minutes had past. Red Spade and Mantis Skin looked up to look at their teammate. Blue Star had a pained look on her face and looked like she was about to cry as she held her right hand up to her right ear piece, where the police radio traffic came through.

  "What?!" asked Mantis Skin.

  ***

  Martian Rose Mechanics CEO Harry Hendrickson stepped up to the podium. With cameras live and clicking, the spot-light was hot but not unexpected.

  "I have a statement to read and I will not, I repeat, WILL NOT be taking questions." said Harry Hendrickson as he took out his notes and placed them before him on the podium. "Before joining Martian Rose Mechanics, I was with the prosecutor's office and one of the first friends of Westgate Sentinel, known then as American Sentinel. Changing his name is well documented and thus I will not go into that today. As his friend, Westgate Sentinel asked me to read to you this right now. I- I tried to talk him out of it, but Westgate Sentinel insisted. So here we go:

  "'Dear Westgate City. I have been guarding this city, the city I love, for thirty five years now. Yet I have been thinking about this announcement for some time yet. As you very well know, I still refute the claims that this armor was made by Martian Rose Mechanics or the United States Military or by anyone. The mystery of the armor and who I am, will remain with me and to my grave when I go. With these facts in mind, I think it is time for me to retire-'"

  The crowd of reporters suddenly came to life as every single one of them started to ask questions.

  Chief Hiawatha #5

  (2015/11/09)

  When James Hiawatha got to his recently passed father
's home later that day, he saw a strange car in the driveway. It was one of those stretch SUV limousines that took up the entire driveway.

  "What in the...!" said James Hiawatha as he parked his very old blue Subaru hatchback car on the curb. James Hiawatha wanted to visit his mother and younger sister to see how they were holding up. James Hiawatha went in the house and was in shocked at what he saw. In the living room, his sister was playing with a pure white pygmy goat on the couch. Sitting next to her, was an old Onondaga man smiling at Sarah Hiawatha. The old Onondaga man was dressed up in a business suit and a bolo tie. Smells of cooking food filled the entire house.

  "Hey, big brother!" said Sarah Hiawatha as she held up the pygmy goat. "Isn't she just absolutely adorable! I am naming her Rousey after Ronda Rousey!"

  Sarah Hiawatha then got up and went to her room with Rousey The Pygmy Goat. The old Onondaga man did not stop smiling, not once. "How are you doing, James Hiawatha?"

  "Who are you?" asked James Hiawatha right back to the old Onondaga man. "And what do you want?"

  "My name is unimportant. But you may call me Old Redcorn if you must have one for me." said Old Redcorn as if he was laughing at a joke that James Hiawatha had not heard. Old Redcorn handed James Hiawatha a business card with "Old Redcorn" on one side and a 202 (Washington DC) phone number on the other side. "I am here on behalf of the Iroquois Confederacy, James Hiawatha. We want to bury the hatch, as it were."

  "I am not returning the powers." said James Hiawatha.

  "And we are not going to ask you for them back." said Old Redcorn as he leaned back in the old couch, his smile fading. "But we both have a problem and we need your help. You understand the nature of your powers, am I correct?"

  "Yes." said James Hiawatha as he sat down with Old Redcorn's business card still in his right hand.

  "Yes, then you should know that you got every nation's power but that of the Black Bear of the Onondaga Nation. Well, we umm- We kind of lost control of the Black Bear."

  "I'm sorry, what?!" asked James Hiawatha.

  "His name is Edward Lightfeather." said Old Redcorn as he leaned further back into the couch. "He beat out several other youths to win the honor of carrying the Black Bear. However we did not know that Edward Lightfeather had gotten into a bad scene. After getting the Black Bear, Edward Lightfeather murdered two Onondaga Nation officers and fled. After he left, we found out Edward Lightfeather had connections to the more "radical" faction of the Iroquois Confederacy who wants nothing more to fight everyone."

  "Well, what can I do for you?" asked James Hiawatha.

  "We don't want anything from you. I saw the report on the two hikers and believe you have already ran to Edward Lightfeather." Old Redcorn got up from the couch, put down a set of keys on the table, and catalog envelope from his inner jacket pocket. "A gift. Also, we offer to host your mother and sister for their protection until this Edward Lightfeather business blows over. You don't have to decide anything now, just consider and call me if you want anything."

  "Look, I am good. I don't need a stretch SUV limousine." said James Hiawatha as he pick up the keys.

  "No, that stretch SUV limousine is mine. But that is a goodwill gift. We at the Iroquois Confederacy take care of our own." said Old Redcorn with a wink and a renewed smile. "It has been an honor meeting you, James Hiawatha. I will see myself out."

  After Old Redcorn left, James Hiawatha opened the catalog envelope and in it was paperwork for the purchase of a blue 2015 Subaru hatchback. A blank check for the DMV tag transfer/registration. GEICO car insurance card with a note that the full coverage car insurance will be paid by the Iroquois Confederacy indefinitely. James Hiawatha's eyes suddenly widen with realization and he ran outside. When he got outside, a blue 2015 Subaru hatchback was sitting where his old blue Subaru hatchback had once sat.

  Engelhard #5

  (2015/07/08)

  Fidel Estrada hit the intercom buzzer a couple more time. "Smokey! Smokey! (Damn you, answer me!)"

  "(Go away! I change my mind!)" answered Smokey Estrada. Fidel Estrada placed his right hand to his face. "(I don't think bothering my tenants, especially two pregnant women, is such a good idea. The landlord might fire me ...again!)"

  "(We don't have to be in their apartments. If I am wrong, you can publicly say I was wrong in my restaurant)" said Fidel Estrada. It would seem that Smokey Estrada still hasn't moved on from when Fidel Estrada had to fire his brother. "(And, if you are fired for any reason, I ...will hire you again to be my superintendent.)"

  A few long heart beats went by. Then the door buzz went off and Fidel Estrada went through to face Smokey Estrada, who was there to greet his brother. "(I have your word then. Come, I made us some dinner.)"

  ***

  "(I still can't believe you talk me into this.)" said Smokey Estrada through his walkie talkie to Fidel Estrada. The elevator stopped working at 6PM for security reasons and so Smokey Estrada was on the third floor and Fidel Estrada was on the seventh floor. Fidel Estrada didn't like climbing all those stairs, but for everyone's sake, he went along with Smokey Estrada's demands. It was 11PM now. "(You're a Catholic, I thought you did not believe in all this mumbo-jumbo supernatural stuff?)"

  "(I believe in good and evil. That is enough.)" answered Fidel Estrada. He thoughts now on his son, somewhere in Venezuela. Fidel Estrada's only son was so mad that none believe that his wife couldn’t have had an illegal abortion. So he ran off to Venezuela as a statement against the American government. Fidel Estrada never understood what statement his son was trying to say, to be honest.

  As they were getting closer to midnight, Smokey Estrada's voice came over the walkie talkie. "(Hey older brother, there is something going on. I see strange lights coming from my tenant's apartment.)"

  Before Fidel Estrada responded, he jumped up and headed for the stairs. Going down them was easier than going up, but he still had four floors to clear. "(Fool! Go in there now and call for the) Archangel Samael!" yelled Fidel Estrada as he ran down the stairs as fast as he could without breaking his neck.

  Fidel Estrada reached the third floor two minutes later and rushed to the apartment. From down the hall, he heard Smokey Estrada scream. Blue light came from the apartment and he rushed in to see what is going on. The Leyak’s head was there, hovering at the foot of the pregnant woman's bed, with her entrails still attached. An unusually long tongue and large fangs gave the Leyak an even more abnormal human look. The pregnant woman had a terrified look on her face and is holding her belly. Other than that, the pregnant woman looks unharmed. Smokey Estrada, on the other hand, is screaming in pain with sores all over his face.

  "Archangel Samael!" yelled Fidel Estrada. Suddenly, Engelhard appeared. Engelhard was dressed all in black, from head to toe. He even had on a mask that showed nothing but his eyes. The only other thing Engelhard wore was a gold chain with a cross on it. This cross however, had what looked like four angel wings coming out from it.

  "Leyak!" yelled Engelhard. "You stand accused and convicted of crimes against Heaven, by using magic and witchcraft! I am Engelhard, Avatar to the Archangel Samael. The Angel Of Death!" Engelhard then reached at the emptiness at his back and drew out a sword. Engelhard then slashed at the Leyak's eyes. "And this, is Archangel Samael's Judgment!"

  With that, the Leyak melted into a awful smelling vinegar gel. The Leyak's soul was sent right to Hell. The pregnant woman got out of the bed and ran off.

  Engelhard then knelt right next to Smokey Estrada who was sitting on the floor next to the bed, Fidel Estrada trying to calm his brother who was in much pain. Reaching into his pocket, Engelhard took out a small jar with what looked like Aloe Vera gel in it.

  "Spread that on the sores," said Engelhard as he handed the jar of gel to Fidel Estrada. "Then take him to a hospital and tell them that he has vinegar burns. They'll know what to do. He'll live."

  Hawkfox Delta #5

  (2013/01/15)

  Westgate Tech is a vocational school. There they teach police offi
cers, paramedics, nurses, wielders, plumbing, cooking, an accredited law/journalism school, and much more. Westgate Tech is often the first stop for law and journalism students before they head to Westgate L&J State University, which is dedicated law and journalism learning.

  The building in which Westgate Tech is located in, is absolutely gorgeous, inside and outside. One of the most gorgeous features by far, is the double grand staircase running down all thirty floors on the western wall. You can enter the double grand staircase on the north end of the building or the south end, go down or up one floor, and you will be on the opposite end of the building. Not only does the double grand staircase look wonderful, but also have some practical applications. Students are encouraged to use it instead of elevators if they are only going one or two floors. They can also use this staircase to evacuate the building if the building goes dark. There are two emergency staircases on the northeast and southeast corner of the building as well.