Trident Force Chronicles

by Paul Richardson

  Before Detective Dowd could push her nurse call-button to call the male nurse to the room, she suddenly noticed that there was a strange man sitting asleep in one of the guest chairs. Not that she wanted to profile, but Detective Dowd noted the man was clearly Mexican. Detective Dowd also noted he wore a business suit sans any tie and the top two buttons undone, and finally a Bluetooth earpiece.

  "Hey," said Detective Dowd not loud enough to wake Detective Heddings but the strange man. "Who are you?"

  The man opened his eyes, then smiled and he got up and open the privacy curtain. The noise of the privacy curtain opening finally woke up Detective Heddings. When Detective Heddings was awake enough to noticed the strange man in the room too, she turned to Detective Dowd. "Who is this?"

  "Morning Detectives," said Rodrigo Antonio "Tony" Francisco with a chuckle and smile. "I can’t believe you two Detectives did not recognize me without my mask."

  "Sooper Zoom? How did you get in here?" asked Detective Heddings her jaw agape. Tony Francisco winked and gave her a little salute.

  "Let me introduce myself." said Tony Francisco. "My name is Rodrigo Antonio Francisco, but you both may call me Tony. I would shake your hands, but you are still really hurt. As to how I got in here, I just ran past all the guards."

  "Okay, but why are you here?" asked Detective Dowd. "And why are you revealing yourself to us?"

  "During the riots the other night, I was there trying to protect people." answered Tony Francisco. "In my hubris, I almost died. You see, I do not have 'super speed' in the true sense. I have 'Super Hypermetabolism' which gives me my super speed. However the cost is that I have to keep eating all the time and drugs like alcohol do not affect me. Two police officers and a paramedic saved me, but my partner..." Tony Francisco pointed to his Bluetooth earpiece. "...had called them up.

  "If I am going to work with you two and take on The Eye, I have to trust you and you are going to need to trust me. I am going to need back-up out there and you might need mine at one point."

  "And Saint Matt?" asked Detective Dowd. "And the Fisher's Ring? Are we going to learn more about them too?"

  "In due time." answered Tony Francisco. "Their secrets are not mine to give. When they trust you enough, they will open up to you. If you guys don't have anymore questions for me, I have a middle school class to get to in five minutes."

  "You're a teacher?"

  "Substitute. It is a living." said Tony Francisco checking his smartphone briefly. "Saint Matt helps me supplement my earnings by investing in the stock market. I think he is a stockbroker, but I could be wrong. Anymore questions for me?"

  "I'm done for now." said Detective Heddings. "I am happy to meet you, Tony. Thank you for telling us who you are. That means a lot. I hope this will be a long friendship."

  "Ditto." said Detective Dowd. "I also have a single sister, if you are interested."

  "You Detectives are most welcomed." said Tony Francisco with a smile and a thumbs up. At that moment, a male nurse open the door.

  "Okay you two, how are-" *WOOSH* The gust of air that ran past the male nurse pushing him up against the door. "Whoa! What was that?!"

  Red-Eye Destrobot #9

  (2006/05/28)

  Jeff Williamson, aka the Surly Purple Giant, was getting out of the Iron Zoo today. Jeff Williamson has had it rough lately and took it out on a robot, of all things, some time ago. Jeff Williamson agreed to plead guilty if the judge gave him the full sentence. As he was given his items back at prison checkout, Jeff Williamson came face-to-face with the divorce papers he had gotten before he made his way to the concert.

  As he was leaving, a correctional officer handed him a piece of paper. "What's this?"

  The fax read simply that he should avoid the bus and just get into the parked car outside. Signing the divorce papers, Jeff Williamson bought an envelope and postage at the prison mail-room with the last of his money on the way out of Westgate City Correctional. As Jeff Williamson was leaving the prison for good, he saw the parked car that was waiting for him. Putting his extra stuff in the trunk, Jeff Williamson got into the front passenger seat and sighed heavily.

  "How did I know it was you."

  Red-Eye Destrobot turned his head and looked at Jeff Williamson. Picking up a sheet of paper sitting in between the two, Red-Eye Destrobot slowly handed it to Jeff Williamson.

  "'Want to go to a NASCAR race? I've got tickets.' Yeah, okay sure." said Jeff Williamson sadly. "I've got nothing else to do."

  When they got to the 1.75 mile quad oval Westgate Motor Speedway track, the race had already started. It was an All-Star Race and, while fun, was just a stock car exhibition. Jeff Williamson hadn't realize it yet, but he enjoyed the outside sounds and smells that the track offered more than he would have realized. Being in an isolation pod was rougher than anyone would think. When they were seated, Red-Eye Destrobot bought Jeff Williamson a hot-dog and beer.

  "Man, that was better than I remember. Why are you being so nice to me?" asked Jeff Williamson. Red-Eye Destrobot made a gesture that could be interrupted as a shrug. Jeff Williamson continued. "As you know when I yelled it to you, I lost my government job after you came to Florida. Me and my wife came here for a new start, but our marriage fell apart. The morning before I attack you I was served the divorce papers and I was so mad, I just went out. I just walked around and around. Saw the concert and thought, what the hell. Then I saw you and I lost it. So ashamed of myself, I just wanted to sit in an isolation cell for as long as possible."

  Red-Eye Destrobot was listening to every word. He was slightly tilted forward to indicate sadness. Jeff Williamson somehow understood this.

  "I don't know why I am telling you all this." said Jeff Williamson was a slight laugh. "Maybe I want forgiveness."

  After the exhibition race was over, Red-Eye Destrobot and Jeff Williamson got up to leave with everyone else. There was a pedestrian walkway to get back to the parking lot that they had to cross. The new pedestrian walkway was built to keep people from crossing the main street and avoid getting hurt. It had open in December just in time for the racing season to begin. However no one knew it had a design flaw.

  There was a shift, two very loud pangs, and a hundred feet of the pedestrian walkway came crashing down. Red-Eye Destrobot was thrown 20-feet away from Jeff Williamson. When Red-Eye Destrobot finally made his way back to his new friend, the robot realized that Jeff Williamson had a head injury and was bleeding.

  "Hey," said the man also known as the Surly Purple Giant. "Humans die all the time."

  "You are forgiven." said Red-Eye Destrobot, reconnecting his voice box. A slight smile came over Jeff Williamson's face as he closed his eyes and died.

  Green Silk #9

  (2015/11/09)

  "Wait, where are you going?" said Gaius Memme standing over the frantic woman trying to reassure her. "There are men out there with guns!"

  "You stay here and call 911! I'm going after my father!" yelled Sandra Padgett. If this had happen before getting her powers, Sandra Padgett would’ve agree with Gaius Memme. Rushing to the outer office where Gaius Memme's desk sat, Sandra Padgett pulled out her Green Silk costume from her packed boxes and quickly put it on. Sandra Padgett was quietly thankful that she brought up her boxes instead of leaving them in her father’s limo.

  After getting changed, Green Silk slowly open the door to the dark inner hallway. Only executives and their immediate staff members had access to this section. Green Silk pondered how the gunmen got this far. Green Silk thought back on the limo driver use of a keycard to get her up here. A security system only to keep the honest out. No one had questioned them on the way up, so someone must have let them in.

  Green Silk assume the attackers turned off the lights to further hide their identities. The reception desk for Mr. Padgett's office was right around the corner and Green Silk slowly made her way there. Looking around the corner, Green Silk could make out the two gunmen keeping watch over the tied-up secretary. Both men had long hair, lo
oked unshaved under their masks, and looked uncomfortable in their suits. Since Green Silk was unfamiliar with guns, she couldn't tell what kind of weapons the men held. The tied-up secretary had a complete look on angry contempt for her captors.

  Taking a deep breath, Green Silk stepped around the corner and grabbed both rifles with her webbing. With a quick yank, Green Silk tore the weapons from the men's hands.

  "You two men need better gun control!" quipped Green Silk as she covered the rifles with more webbing.

  "Get her!" yell one of the gunmen and they both ran at Green Silk. Not wanting to fight both at once, Green Silk hit the fatter guy square in the gut as hard as she could. The fat gunman yelled in pain, doubled over, and just refused to get up off the ground.

  The thin gunman sloppily threw a right hook to Green Silk. The web-spinner grabbed the man's hand and twisted it to his back. Green Silk then pinned the guy to the wall.

  "Oww! That hurts!" yelled the thin gunman.

  "Peter?" asked Green Silk.

  "Sandra? Is that you?"

  Green Silk didn't answered, but ripped off the hippie's mask. "What the fuck, Peter? What is going on?"

  "Occupy Glass Street has had enough of being ignored." said Peter.

  "Fuck Peter, we're hippies! We don't do violence!" yell Green Silk, bouncing Peter off the wall. "And why my father's office?!"

  "We had a way in here. Dante wanted to storm Martian Rose Mechanics, but my brother Gaius could get us in here!"

  'Fuck! Gaius Memme! I knew that name sounded familiar!' thought Green Silk. "Where is Dante?"

  "In with your father! We are just trying to get money transferred to an overseas account and then give the money out to the people! There are two other people with him now, Sean and Melody!" said Peter starting to cry. "I will testified against them if I can stay out of jail!"

  "We'll see." said Green Silk as she webbed Peter to the wall.

  Green Silk then went over to tie up Jake, the fat gunman, who had since passed out from the pain of being hit in the gut.

  'Whoa, maybe I don't have to hit so hard. Poor Jake, he's normally a gentle giant.' thought Green Silk. 'What made him turn violent like that?'

  Then Green Silk went to go untie her father's secretary.

  Blue Star #9

  (2015/11/09)

  BANG! BANG! BANG!

  The three gunshots rang out inside the Chinese market store deep in the heart of Leftover Hills.

  Westgate Sentinel was gone. With understaffed WCPD personnel and ill-equipped superheroes, the city of millions was now ripe to explode with the criminal underworld that has so long been held into check. Westgate City is only just now waking up to the new horrors that lay before them all.

  Three ski-mask wearing thugs exited a Chinese market store with filled bags and piled into the getaway car. Hitting the gas, they then headed recklessly north weaving in and out of traffic. Suddenly, the driver lost control of the car and plowed into a street lamp. Dizzy and confused, the three thugs slowly climbed out of the car. The driver looked down and saw that the front, driver-side tire had three arrows in it.

  "What the fuck is this..." said the lead thug as the two others joined him.

  "Freeze, dirt-bags!" said Blue Star after dropping down on them. The three men put their arms up as they turned toward the part-time auxiliary officer Blue Star. "Now slowly, one at a time, on the ground and spread eagle! All three of you are under arrest!"

  Suddenly, gunfire erupted and two bullet holes appeared in each of the three thugs chest. Horrified beyond belief, Blue turned her bow and arrow to the shooter. The man was dressed in white and black body armor. His head and arms were white, but the rest was black. Also in white was a skull on his chest made up to look like ASCII Art, with enlarged "@" symbols making up the eyes.

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" yelled Citizen Hunter as he dropped the gun he just used and raised both hands. "I'm on your side!"

  "Bastard!" said Blue Star through gritted teeth. "I'm no vigilante! I don't murder people! Who are you?"

  "Oh, okay then. The author of this book is choosing to call me, Citizen Hunter! Great name, I know!" answered Citizen Hunter as he pulled out a smart phone. He then turned so that he could take a selfie with the three dead thugs and a pissed off looking Blue Star in the background. "Say: $3,000 for every dead S.O.B. who knocks over one of Papa Rudnitsky's protected stores! Hashtag: #CitizenHunterRocks!"

  The flash of the smart phone wasn't very bright, but it temporarily distracted Blue Star enough to lose control of her arrow right into the left shoulder of Citizen Hunter.

  "Owww! Son of a mother fucking whore! That hurt!" Citizen Hunter then grabbed the arrow and pulled it out.

  "No wait! You'll bleed..." started Blue Star. However before her eyes, the wound started to rapidly heal. The unmistakable albino skin showing through the blood had no scares. "...out..."

  "Hey, do me a favor," Citizen Hunter pulled out one of his two katana swords and sliced Blue Star's bow in half. "And go fuck yourself. We had a great thing going until you had to shoot me with that arrow. I would send you a bill to repair this armor, but I don't think you could afford it, piggy."

  Citizen Hunter put his sword and smart phone away.

  "You going to kill me?" asked Blue Star feeling really exposed without her bow.

  "What? No!" answered Citizen Hunter. "For one thing, you are one of the three main characters in this book. Spoiler warning: You are not going to die. Not any time soon, anyway. Second thing is that I am a bounty hunter and you don't have a price on your head. Not yet, at least.

  "However I promise not to interfere with your arrests ever again. Okay?" But before Blue Star could answer, police sirens could be heard. "Ops! No time for love, doll! Got to go!"

  Citizen Hunter pulled a manhole cover away and jumped into the sewers. A slightly shaken and pissed off Blue Star could not stop him from leaving.

  Red Spade #9

  (2015/11/10)

  Despite supers being an everyday thing, there is a thriving superhero comics industry. In fact, when most superheroes retire they often sell their likeness rights to comic and movie companies. Many villains also do this when they get tired of being a criminal and often find some redemption in their new tales. Some of the greatest heroes and villains who lived many years apart are treated to 'what if' matches in amazing books and movies.

  And right now, Red Spade is browsing through some of those comics as we speak. He was in the back of Conway neighborhood’s local comic book shop trying not to be noticed. In the last two days, comic book shops in the Emerald Gardens had been knocked up. Not for money, but for dice and, apparently, for destruction. The man who has been attacking these shops, seemed to be a super who throws explosive dice and the police reports have dub this guy: Deadly Throw.

  WCPD, in a rare move, has asked Red Spade to help assist in this man's capture before he actually does kill someone.

  Red Spade heard someone come into the front door of the store and the clerk's greetings. Red Spade dropped the comic book he was looking at back onto the shelf and then slowly make his way to the front. He didn't want to give himself away too quickly if this is the guy who somehow turns little plastic dice into small firecrackers.

  "I said, WHERE ARE THEY?" yelled one voice. Red Spade knew this was his man, for Deadly Throw is always said to be looking for something. Throwing all pretence of stealth away, Red Spade drew his new shovel.

  "Okay, whoever you are, I am placing you under arrest." said Red Spade while approaching the ...boy? The kid could not be no more than twenty years old. He didn't have a costume, just a thin kid in baggy everyday clothes. Moppy hair hangs down and almost covers his eyes. Deadly Throw grabbed some loose dice on the counter top and threw it at Red Spade. Our hero was able to deflect two of the three dice, but the third one exploded in his face. "Gah!"

  Deadly Throw ran out the door, right into five WCPD officers each with their guns drawn.

  "Freeze!" ordered one of the officers
. Deadly Throw stopped and gave up on the spot.

  After the WCPD had handcuff the kid, they let Red Spade talk to the Deadly Throw while he sat in the back of a patrol car. "Hey kid, what were you looking for?"

  "You wouldn't understand." said the kid with tears flowing from both eyes.