#4

Janet laid on a bed in the med-bay, still knocked out, as Zack and Doc watched her.

"She's been through a lot," Doc stated, "Whoever was holding her captive tortured her. Broken bones, bruises. Brain scans show that she is healing from psychological trauma."

"Doc," Zack asked "do you believe that hypnotism is possible."

"Possible, yes, but not able to do what you saw. Hypnotism has been unable to break the intuitive moral codes that the subject holds."

"So this has to be something else entirely."

"Either that, or Janet has been feigning her morals this whole year."

"I think mind control is a far more likely scenario, here."

*****

Zack was away on another covert operation. Doc sat in his lab, working on a project for a new synthetic superhuman: a formula which would turn ones skin and other organs into "organic gold", making him or her virtually both indestructible and immortal.

Janet woke up in the med-bay. She stepped out of the bed and slowly made her way to Doc's office. She dragged along, almost zombie-like. She then floated in the air so that Doc wouldn't hear the footsteps. Sneaking up behind him, she projected a force field around his head, holding it there until he passed out. She picked him up, and floated out to the loading bay. From there she disappeared in a flash of light, and reappeared in Philip Phoebus' executive office, at Solar Corp.

Janet's doppelganger appeared, took Doc from Janet's arms, and tied him to a chair. Janet finally came to, realizing what she had done. At this time her doppelganger employed the same trick of projecting the force field around Janet's head until she passed out. At this time Philip walked in, and sat down next to Doc. He spoke to Doc in a dull droning voice, telling Doc that he won't recognize him wakes up he wakes up.

*****

Doc opened his eyes, which began to focus themselves. Gravity compelled him to simply keep them closed, but his will-power and curiosity just barely won out. As the world around him came into focus, he noticed a figure standing right in front of him. His surrounding settings were clear, except for this figure, who seemed to be a blur to him. The figure gave a menacing smile. He could see Doc squinting to try and bring him into focus, but to no avail.

The figure began to speak, but Doc could not recognize it. "A decade ago, you worked with Project NOVUS to begin finding practical application for novus particles. Without you, the Project is scheduled to start rolling out their tech in another ten years. I want you to help me develop this technology ahead of them, so that I can sell it first. I can get you anything that you need."

"And if I don't?"

"It was easy for me to find you. It will also be easy for me to find the people that you love."

*****

Zack returned to the satellite. He could feel the quiet emptiness as he stepped foot in the loading bay. He walked down the metallic corridors using his super-vision to search ahead of him. Then he noticed that the lab was dark.. He approached, entered, to find a shadowy figure in a trench-coat, wearing a full-face mask over his head.

Zack tried to look through the mask with his super-vision, but found himself unable to see past it. The shadowy figure waived his finger. He spoke, using a voice distorter to disguise his vocals.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said with an electronic sound in his voice, "no peaking."

The figure pulled out an energy pistol, and aimed it at Zack.

"Quite an interesting collection of experiments the Doc has going on here. Infusing organic matter with metals, genetic splicing, a cyborg project. But you... you are leaps and bounds above everything that is here."

"Who are you? What do you want?" Zack demanded, not sure what to do or think.

"As for who I am, do you think I'd go to all this trouble of hiding my face and then tell you? As for what I want, I'm here for all the toys. You are just collateral damage."

The figure fired a concentrated energy blast at Zack, piercing the shoulder. A flash of light began to engulf the figure. Zack had to think fast. He rushed the glow that was engulfing the intruder and grabbed for him. In an instant, they were both on top of a roof, in the middle of Island City, in the middle of the night. Zack held his opponent by the collar. Then with one hand, he reached to take the mask off. The masked man grabbed the hand, broke it's fingers, and kicked Zack backwards.

"You'll pay for that."

"What have you done with Janet and Doc," Zack barked through his pain.

"They will return soon enough. For now, I will teach you a lesson."

The dark figure marched towards the hero, raising his fists. He stooped down and put his arm around Zack. He spoke in a quiet voice, and his threats were delivered calmly and coldly.

"You have all of these powers, and you become complacent, because they give you an edge. Well, I'm not impressed. In fact I am prepared for your powers, and I have all the special equipment that I need to make your powers moot. I know how to defeat you, break you, end you. If you ever think about crossing into my operation..."

His one glove began to glow. He punched Zack in the stomach. His glowing glove actually bent the force field around Zack. He punched Zack in the gut several more times. He let his rage loose, beating Zack relentlessly, then stopping suddenly.

"Next time," he whispered, "I won't stop."

Zack blacked out. When he woke up the figure was gone. He blacked out again, and woke up in the Super Corp infirmary. Doc and Janet were watching over him. Zack told Doc about the lab intruder, but after checking, Doc assured him that the security showed nothing. Doc explained that he had gone back to Earth on a much deserved personal leave, after spending so much time in the orbital laboratory. Janet had been away on her own assignment.

Zack wasn't sure what to believe, but his injuries were real. Someone had beaten him to a pulp and left him for dead. Someone who was not stopped by Zack's force field. Someone who was still at large, who could access their satellite base, and leave no trace of his visit. Zack's sense of security had greatly diminished. Philip had accomplished his goal.