Loa Blood

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith

The Cab finally arrived at Price's and she gave the cabbie the address to the newspaper. She was going to do more digging in the archieves there. There was a shape growing her under her fingertips, and she could almost see it. However, she had the feeling she'd have to be very clever...Her Loricr background gave her some clue how sneaky the Secret Police could be. They'd leave information out just to see who would look at it.

"Hey, your going the wrong way." She tapped the glass between her and the driver.

"Sorry, Lady, but Riverside is closed from 12th to 43ed. Some kind of accident or something."

She hesitated for a moment, thinking to tell him to take her as close as he could; but then thought Naw, if the cabbie knew about it no doubt there were a dozen reporters on it all aready.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell

Grinning, Kell wandered down the street.

That Admiral guy was right. Soldiers are awesome!

He took another drink of his beer.

I wonder if I could learn to, like, metabolize faster. Or burn out alcohol from my system. Or burn out diseases from my system! I could detox people! Or cure cancer without surgery! I--

Oh, man. My head hurts.

With a hearty sigh, Kell looked down at the bottle. 'Stupor Beer'. No kidding. Shaking his head, the underaged young man tossed the half-empty bottle into the trash.

I'm not THAT much of a lightweight. Why am I feeling so weird?

Ugh. If I hadn't been feeling weird before, I wouldn't have had any of that stuff. I'm really not into--

Actually, I think my head has been hurting this entire time. I haven't vomitted though.

For a moment, Kell felt fear chill his bones.

...what ARE the effects of my powers on me, anyway?

Shaking the thought free and gathering his jacket around him, Kell continued down the street until he reached the apartment building he had been searching for. Nothing I can do about it anyway, he reasoned, opening the door and walking up several flights of stairs until he reached the door to Mary's place. He knocked three times.

"Mary?" he called. "Mary, it's Kell, you there?"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

She'd fallen asleep on the couch and Kell's knocking roused her.

"Humm?" Hadn't she given him a key? Stumbling across the floor she opened it and saw Kell.

"Gods, you look like shit." She said, then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. "Not that I'm one to judge. "

She stood away from the door way and caught a whiff of him as he walked past. "Gas and beer? Geez, Kell, what have you been doing?"

Closeing and locking the door behind her she make him a egg and banana smoothie, tossed in some brewers yeast, molassases, and zinc.

"Here, this will help." She sat next to him. "So, fill me in."

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell eyed the concoction dubiously.

"I felt a little uncomfortable about just walking in," he admitted. "Sorry if I woke you up." He narrowed his eyes at the glass in front of him, as if daring it to stare back, before picking it up and taking a drink. After a few long moments, he swallowed. Expressionless, he set the glass down.

"Thanks." His voice was as solid steady as his face.

"Um, I got beat up by some psychic," he said, taking another drink and once again swallowing slowly, as if with intense concentration. "Some gang called the Killer Bees stole a lot of Loa Blood. I tried to protect the shipment but I could only retrieve one canister of the twelve. I burned up the armored truck pretty bad, though, so the military should be able to chase them down. Hopefully. I don't know if they'll be able to go crashing through the city. But whatever the case, I'm completely beat. At least I got to ride a rocket bike. I wonder where the Bees get the money for all their crazy shit? They had light-bending camoflouge suits! Can you believe it? Some gang is better equipped than the military themselves."

He paused for a few moments.

"And... one of the gang members threw his beer at me. So that's why I smell like beer."

He cleared his throat, taking another sip. He brushed his hair back and sighed softly, and then looked over to Mary.

"Heh, you look like you've been busy. What've you been doing?"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

She smothered a grin as she watched him drink, it'd take a few mintues for the surge to hit him, but he'd feel better when it did.

"Painting." She waved her arm around the apartment, littered with canvas', paint, tarps. "But I ran out of canvas, so desided to sleep."

"I don't know anything about Killer Bees..."She thought for a moment. "Or I don't think I do.."

She shrugged. "I'm glad you stopped them though. No one needs Loa Blood. It's just something else for people to misuse and hurt each other with. Like running with sharp sticks."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

Damn this thing was fast. One minute it was being tossed around my heavy machinegun fire, and ina instant it was on me amd tossing ME around. I managed to get a punch in on the side of it's head, knocking it back, but that only gave me a moment to act.
I readied to attack te creature when it roared at me and fire once again engulfed me from it's hands. I screamed as my skin began to crack and melt. I gambled that it was not fireproof and rushed it, and wasd proven right when it cut off the fire just before I slammed into it, breaking some ribs. It bit down on my shoulder, it's fangs tearong great gouges on my skin and causing more cracks to appear. I slammed my head up under it's chin, knocking it back, and then grabbing it's arm I threw it down the street and into an armored police vehicle, crumpling it like tinfoil. I fell toi my knees, a clear, slightly glowing thick liquid oozing out of my wounds. I looked up and saw the beast tearing it's way out of the wreckage of the vehicle, dark red blood staining it's face and chest from it's wounds. It screamed again in defiance, and launched itself in the air, heading out west over the city. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was it's winged form passing over the hospital.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell

"I guess," murmured Kell. "But life just seems like a fight, or a part in a play, sometimes. And some moments I wonder if my Loa powers can give it some kind of meaning, some kind of -- lasting effect? That sounds cliched. But... I'm not sure how that would work, anyway." He chuckled wryly. "Having Loa Powers is just like having a pointed stick in a world were few people have pointed sticks, like you said... it makes things easier, but it doesn't make you a stronger or better person for it."

"But, the suffering that sometimes comes with Loa Power... you can learn things from that..."

Sighing gently, he stood up and smiled down at Mary. "Hey, you look exhausted. Why don't you take a shower or something? That always makes me feel better. I'll go and--"

He had stepped out of the room and into Mary's workroom, which connected to the kitchen. Accidentally, he had seen her paintings strewn about the room. Four, in particular.

Ice... ice... ice... why so much ice, Mary?

And... who is that woman... and...

And... and... these are AMAZING!

"Mary!" Kell gasped. She had never seen him surprised, even when she told him about her Loa augmentation -- but now he was shocked.

I considered myself too rational or overanalytical to be surprised. But that was my ego talking. And these are...

"Unbelievable!" he said aloud. "Mary, these are beautiful! I can only guess at the symbolism, but... the constrasts... and the brush strokes... and..."

I could never appreciate art until I tried it myself and realized how freaking difficult it is. I was never any good anyway, of course. At least, I don't think so. This is genius...

"Mary, why don't you try submitting these to a gallery for sale?" Kell thought for a moment. "You know, Amy used to take me to art galleries, and she goes a lot more often by herself. Would you like me to ask her if she knows any gallery owners who would look at your paintings? I bet she'd be able to do it."

After all, everyone likes her, he thought, but didn't say.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

"Don't be silly." Mary closed the door to the workroom. "You take a shower frist, you stink of gas and beer, and I have to clean my brushes."

She moved to the kitchen sink where some were soaking; secretly pleased he'd liked her work, utterly terrifed about the prospect of a gallery.

Had she ever done a gallery? She remembered.....in Dracon Island...in a museum, some of her work had hung. Probably in shreds now.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell looked a little flustered. "Hey, I don't stink THAT bad..." He sniffed his sleeve, and wrinkled his nose. "Alright, alright, I'll change into some of the clothes Amy bought for me. Ugh." He walked over to the bathroom and glanced back. "Thanks for letting me use it first. I don't feel very much like a gentleman, though." Chuckling softly, he closed the door behind him and quickly stripped, sighing.

Fortunately, there were two towels in the bathroom, so Kell took the one that was less used and put it down with his clothes. He spent only a little time in the shower, scrubbing himself quickly, glaring at his own body.

At least, thanks to my vain pursuits with the Loa Blood, I'm a bit more... uh... but all the same, I didn't mean to come home smelling bad... I feel bad that--

--come home? Home? Is that what I'm calling this now? Oh, Kell, you fool... this isn't stable...

Kell looked further down.

You know, I would try that, but I'm worrying that if I mess something up I'll really, really regret it, and...

...I really need to get out of the shower before I start spacing out.

Turning off the water, he stepped out and rubbed himself down quickly, and then tying the towel around his waist, he stepped out of the shower; looking young, fresh, and well-built, set off by a genuine smile. With a happy sigh, he plopped himself on the soft couch.

"Your turn!" he called, smiling as he leaned back, reveling in his own cleanness for a few moments.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary used her forearm to swipe back a peice of hair fallen from her pony tail onto her face.

"Ok, be there in a mintue." She scrubbed the paint from her hands and arms with the cleaner and considered Kell.

He was more stable than the night they'd met but 1000%, was still the ernest person he'd been as a child, and darn cute and...it felt good to share space with someone who knew about her and still treated her as a friend. A team mate.

Damn good.

And thereon lay the rub. Comfort turns into relaxtion, relatxtion turns to sloppyness, and the next thing you know....

What. What's next. She was irratated by not knowing and knowing at the same time. There was a reason for her dread, but she wasn't able to see it. She knew it wasn't groundless.

She sighed and turned the water off.

"I hope you left some hot water for me." She said as she came out of the kitchen. She slid her eyes over the half nakied boy.

"You know, Kell, you should pose for me some time, you've got a nice...shape." She grinned and winked and went into the bathroom.

Ye Gods, had she just..............flirted?

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell

It had taken Kell a while. He had been a nerd for a long time, just some quiet kid, not mysterious, but just quiet. Then, along with his sensitivity, he learned confidence. He even became charming, and got to be pretty good at it, finding that much to his surprise, he was pretty good-looking. But, despite how much he struggled against it at times, his shyness would come through.

He blushed furiously.

"I... well... ah..."

And she was gone, into the bathroom.

Dammit! Dammit dammit dammit!

He grimaced and looked down at himself, and his grimace quickly faded.

She really thinks I'm...

...and she's cute, right? I mean, she's always messy, but I'm not usually any better...

...three-fourths of me wants to run like a dog with a tail between his legs to my clothes and get dressed right freaking now... but the other fourth... it feels good being here, and besides... she'll come out with a towel and...

Dammit! Dammit! Stop! Enough!

It just feels fresh, that's all. That's why I'm here, and not getting dressed. No other reason.

...damn.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Catching herself in the mirrior she knew that just a shower wasn't an option.

Ye Gods! Was that Locrir bule in her hair?

She sat on the edge of the tub and turned on the water. A long soak after all that painting would relax her muslces and loosen the paint.

She dumped in some bath salts and stuck her head out the door.

"Hey, Kell, I'm going to take a bath and we are just about out of food. Why don't you take a nap and we'll go do some shopping?" She paused. "Do you think we should buy a car?"

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

A bath?

*** --- ***

Kell peered into the bathroom door. The room was dark, but the side of the tub was lit with sweet-scented candles. Confused, he stepped in, holding his towel around him.

"Mary?" he said softly, looking around.

"Right here," said a husky, female voice. He turned, and saw Mary leaning back into the bath, her hair down, looking at him speculatively. "Did you really think I wanted to take my bath alone?"

"Not for a moment," Kell said, quite suavely, as he dropped his towel and--

*** --- ***

Heh. Heh. Heh heh-- wait, did she say something?

Damn it!

"What? A car?" he laughed, somewhat nervously. "Do we really have the money for that? I mean, if your paintings sold well... but we need to get them to a gallery first." He paused. "Would that be okay with you? Mary, I really think it would work. Your work is incredible."

Oh, man. What am I thinking? Why did those thoughts even come to mind? What's wrong with me? I'm living with her. And she was probably just teasing. I hate having sexual thoughts. Because then I'm not in control, but it's not because I'm feeling genuine, like sometimes I do with Amy or Mary, it's because I'm being an animal...

Damn it! I hate it when I think like that!

But... heh...

Damn!

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

Oh dear.

It was obvious Kell had been lost in his own thoughts, and quite amuseing thoughts they must have been from the shape of his towel. But while he was in some distress, he recovered quickly, and didn't seem to notice his....clue.

"Oh, I have a rather large kitty of money saved up." She assured him, taking his cue.

"Um, Kell..." She paused, biting her lip. What to say? What do you want? What do I want? Where do we go from here?

Brother/sisterly? Friends? Kissing Cozs?

"I think that's a great idea, why don't you call Amy and ask her about the gallery idea." She smiled at him. "You're a very clever guy."

She shut the door and leaned against it.

What did she want? Not to be lonely any more, of course. But, wasn't she being a bit of a pedophile? Not that she could ever find someone her actual age, even if she could remember it.

She desided to let Kell take the lead. After all, hadn't she just been reassureing Amy a few days ago she didn't feel that way about Kell?

Of course, that's before the hug, and calling her his partner, and the towel.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"Right," he managed. "I-I'll call her."

He sighed miserably, but not too loudly.

What is happening to me? I've got to get ahold of myself. There's no way Mary's interested in me. I mean, she seems so mature, and--

--her power was changing her age, right? Hold on.

What if this isn't her real age at all?

No... but... that can't be right. I knew her when she really was a kid. I mean, our parents introduced us. Right? I think...

Oh, man. Two pretty girls and I can't be sure what either of them are thinking of me. And both so untouchable! Which is good. Really. Amy's like a sister and Mary... she's becoming like a sister. These thoughts are like incest to me... not that I would know, of course, since I don't have any real siblings, but... I don't know... it just feels wrong.

No. The idea is completely unattractive.

He glanced down, and his eyes widened.

Oh, DAMN!

It had receeded slightly, but he wasn't taking any chances. Swearing under his breath, he gathered his towel around him and ducked behind the couch, dropping it and tugging on some of his new clothes. Grimacing, he ignored some of the classier overshirts and just left himself in an undershirt and some rather stylish (and rather tight, he thought, raising an eyebrow) jeans. Putting on the iron pendant he always wore, he got up and walked to the telephone, stretching mightily in his form-fitting clothes.

You know, this doesn't feel so bad.

Ugh. There goes my ego talking. It's not like I WANT people to admire me... do I? Damn...

He dialed the number, eyes narrowed, berating himself.

"Amy? Hey! Yeah, it's Kell. Well, I was just making SURE you knew it was me. What do you mean it's distinctive? Like, manly? Oh, very funny. Listen to me laugh. Wait, wait, it's coming. Oh, no, that's right, you aren't funny at all. Ha! That's right, I got you! Totally! Anyway, I was wondering -- no, seriously -- I was wondering if you know any good art galleries. Um, yeah, something like that. No, I DON'T really enjoy them. Impressionism always seems like just laziness to me. Yeah, say what you want. Anyway, the point is, Mary wants to display her paintings in a gallery -- or, actually, I want her to. They're really, really good. Can you come over and look at them at some point today or tomorrow? Uh-huh? You mean-- you're-- yeah! you're-- you're actually free all today and tomorrow? What happened to my industrious girl! Hahaha! Okay, yeah. I'll call you back. She's in the bath. Yeah. Okay? Okay. Yes. Yes, mother. Well, you DO. And I'll keep calling you that until you stop. Would you prefer sister? Well, sometimes I feel like we're related. And you know I love you like a sister, my dear! Haha! Hey. Shut your mouth. Yeah. That's right. Hahaha! Okay, okay. I'll talk to you soon. Love ya. Yeah. Bye."

He hung up, and sighed.

"Oh, man."

 

[Domhnaill]

Dalriada

From his vantage point on the roof of one of the highest office buildings, Dalriada saw the chaos through his binoculars. He watched as the winged monstrosity leapt into the air and soared away over the hospital, tracking it as it flew through the sky. Soon it evaded his view.
He drummed his fingers on the railing as he pondered the situation. This city was a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. How many factions? How many independant Gifted? Yes indeed, he thought, he would have to proceed very carefully if he was to achieve anything here, and even survive for very long. But there was no doubt in his mind that Bay was where he should be.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith

Faith noticed all the flurry of activity going on immeditly and grabbed someone's coat sleeve to ask what was going on.

"Big gifted fight down by the Coda docks! And rumors of Killer Bees! Even the boss himself went down to check it out."

Naturally a part of her wanted to run on down there also, but...as they said back home...She'd heard the knock at the door too late.

Following the signs down into the basement of the building Faith finally came across the mailroom; which looked exactly like a small town post office with dail-locked mail boxes, a post master counter and security camera.

At the counter she rang the little bell.

A four armed Dracionan man answered her summons; his sternly set face breaking into a brillent smile when he saw who it was. It was one of those sunrise smiles that brightened up a face normally overcast...and it made her think of Chance and what he might look like when he grew up.

"Hi!" She smiled at him. "I'm Faith Honai and I got a message that I had a mailbox?"

"It's good to meet you, Miss Honai. I'm Ben." He held out what must have been his oringal right hand. The two newer arms were set below the armpit of the ones he had been born with, and slightly forward on his ribs and weren't as muscled, tho they looked strong.

"You have quite a buildup of mail already Miss." Ben said pleasently, slideing across a form for her to sign and a slip with her combination. "And you received a package from Locrir. It's been opened, but not viewed. It's a policy here to open any packages in our bomb safe, but not to view the contents."

"Bomb safe?" Faith was surprized.

Ben nodded. "Every so often we get a little surprize, so it's become policy. Esp since our current editor-in-cheif was the one to receive such a package when he was an up and coming reporter, such as yourself."

She slid the paper work back to him. "Well, thank you Ben for all your help."

"Your welcome, Miss Honai. Your article on the refugee problem got about 40 people down there job offers." He gave a crooked grin. "Squiggles, you might remember him? He's the purple kid .." He made a squiggle sign in the air. "He works at the museum of Modern Art as a tour guide. People come up and ask him where an exbhit is and he changes shapes to point them on their way."

Faith giggled. "I'm glad. I hope they keep him in sandwiches!"

In her mail box was a box of business cards, messages from her boss wanted follow up stories, letters from people who had read her stories, messages from people who had information or wanted to be interviewed....and a video cassette from Hope.

A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomache looking at it and she stood there for a long moment stareing at it before running down the halls to where she had seen a door with Audio-Video Dept on it.

 

[Morgoth]

Dan Williams would need a new home. As he soared over the city, he spotted the perfect place. A large building. He could become lost in the chaos of halls and cubicles there. They would never find him. He would reside in the basement and the garages, and appear every now and then, bringing food down with him. He grumbled. This wouldn't be as amusing as the last home. There wouldn't be any T.V. and he wouldn't even be able to eat cooked food. He sighed as best a giant monster could and swooped onto the roof of the building. He would wait here until night, then sneak down.

 

[Domhnaill]

Just as he had almost given up, Dalriada saw a flicker of movement in the corner of the lens. Rapidly swinging the binoculars, he glimpsed the hellish winged creature, now a tiny speck, swooping downwards towards the rooftops. He couldn't make out the exact building, but he marked the area. There'd be some careful searching to do.
That creature was damn dangerous. For the first time he had doubts about going it alone. There was no way he could safely tackle that beast on his own after seeing what it could do. Pondering this, he made his way out of the building and was soon lost in the swirling crowds of Bay City.

 

[Lady_Siren]

Nikki finally arrived back at the bas exhausted and in pain. She entered her room stripped off her uniform and collapsed in her bed. She closed her eyes and in moments was asleep.

 

[SwampThing]

The next few days . . .

The creature the sensationalist Argon media are calling the Crusher seems to have left the area, but the military presence in and around the city is still very strong. Hundreds of people were killed by the creature's senseless rampage in only a few days, and thousands more were injured. The Riverside Hospital is still a grim ruin, and the suburban neighborhood where the Crusher battled Monolith is a burnt-out crater.

Monolith was carefully loaded onto a huge Coda flat-bed truck, his glowing blood gathered up by their technicians. He's been recovering, aided by the Coda scientists, who are gaining some understanding of his crystyline metabolism.

Kell has been kept very busy working at the surviving hospitals, stabilizing the wounded for transport to medical facilities in neighboring states. His name and face have been all over the TV, and all of a sudden he can't walk down the street without being recognized. He's been asked to appear on a late-night talk show, and a teen magazine wants to know who he's dating.

Amy's family friend is eager to set up a gallery show of Mary's paintings (saying something about their resemblance to certain anonymous post-war Locrian works). In fact, the whole thing gets out of her hands very quickly, and the show is scheduled to go up soon.

Faith's interview with Kate Beckett had been postponed, as every precaution was taken that the notorious arsonist didn't escape as she was transferred to Sunset Ranch for the Mentally Ill, a plush asylum out in the desert. But now the time for the interview has finally arrived.

Chapel buys Nikki a mansion overlooking the Bay. There's a bunker underneath for her personal security team, and access to the city's extensive tunnel system.

And in the sub-basement of a downtown office building, Dan Williams sits, and waits, as his wings heal, and his scales grow over his wounds.

Dalraida has made a careful survey of the area, and been monitoring security and maintenance communications in several office buildings. There's nothing major, but he knows exactly what he's looking for. And now he's certain he knows exactly where the Crusher is hiding.

 

[SwampThing]

Coda

Thorne has called a meeting in Monolith's huge hangar-like chambers. The stone man is finally whole again, and Kell's workload at the hospital has slowed.

"It's been some time since I've been able to talk to both of you, and I just want to say again that everyone is very pleased with your efforts in protecting the city these last few weeks. You both saved countless lives. Coda, and GAIA, are receiving a lot of bad press for having allowed the Killer Bees to escape with so much Loa Blood, but only by dividing you to face both those criminals and the Crusher-monster, was the city saved.

"Your fellow Coda agents, Kryna Paikairy and Dexter Morrow, are still missing. We can only assume that they are a part of the ever-growing phenomenon of Gifted disappearing, which is still happening all over the globe.

"When we hired you, we said it would be for this one job. To protect this one shipment. You've done that and more, and been paid well for it. Coda will be very pleased to extend your contracts, but you are free to go if you wish. If you do choose to stay with us, there may well be assignments in other parts of the country that would demand your special attention."

 

[SwampThing]

Killer Bees

Chapel has called Nikki to meet him at a private hospital. As with everything associated with the Killer Bees, the facility is state-of-the-art. The young biker agent they are visiting has been fitted with a cybernetic knee from where the Gifted with the white hair and the metal arm shot him. He tells Nikki and Chapel all about his encounter with Ghost.

" . . . and I had to tell him something, but I wasn't about to give away the drop-off location. So I made up some directions, sent him out into the desert on a wild goose chase, looking for a drop-off point that doesn't exist."

"You did well, my boy." Chapel says, "Rest easy. We'll take good care of you." He leads Nikki out into the hall.

"This man with the metal arm, he attacked an underground hospital, and an arms dealer. Both independents, and that's bad enough. Now he's going after my boys, and I can't have that. It sounds like he may have gotten one of our precious tanks of Loa Blood as well, and we need all of those for our buyer.

"Nikki, my friend, I want you to go out into the desert, to this "meeting place", and wait for this Ghost. Don't bring any of the boys, they'd only get killed, and you can teleport yourself home if you need to, can't you? Go and talk to this man. Convince him that we want him as an ally, and that he does not want us as enemies. Above all, find where he has hidden the Blood he stole from us."

 

[SwampThing]

In other news . . .

Locrian troops gained full control of the small nation of Petang, and are moving south into the nations of Torrel and Fesyk. In a world-wide public broadcast, Emperor Savanti Romero explained his actions.

"Citizens of the world, too long have we been divided by the imposed borders of obsolete colonialists. Is Phrygia still a Sejealan colony? No. Yet still our many great nations are divided, and together we can accomplish so much more. Just look to the sparkling order and prosperity of modern Locrir, and you see the future. I invite all the nations of Phrygia into our illustrious Empire, to enjoy the protection of our formidable armed forces. I intend to parade my forces peacefully throughout the whole of Phrygia. Those nations who wish to welcome us, as Petang has done, will be accepted into the glorious Locrian Empire."

By avoiding calling his maneuvers invasions, Romero is ensuring that GAIA cannot intervene. So far, he is breaking no international laws.

And besides, GAIA has it's hands very full trying to find a way to seal off Dracon Island against further creatures like the Crusher. Already all of the small GAIA fleet are assembled around the island. Dr. Robert Dugan is quoted as saying "I'm working on it. Keep your shirt on."
________________

A hurricane off the coast of Svetla levelled several small towns, but the major coastal city of Grace was miraculously saved by a giant red lion. The lion, which news footage shows to be the size of an aircraft carrier, dug vast trenches in the ocean floor to slow the tidal wave, sheilded the city with it's own body, and then gathered wounded in it's mouth, flying them to nearby medical centres at supersonic speeds. The lion did not respond to questioning, and disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived.

 

[SwampThing]

Kreigan

After Kriegan is through with him, the Draconian secret agent reveals that Nikki Hall had a love affair with Prince Damien. The Prince is missing (presumed slain by Ninja), but his father the King, who is still staying at the Regency hotel, may know something of her wherabouts. Ordinarily, a King would be off-limits to a bounty-hunter, even on a case like this one. But Dracon has no political power any more, and the Draconian secret service were all but wiped out by the Ninja attacks. King Dumar is quite vulnerable.