Continued from Part Nineteen

Marcos picked up the phone in his office.

“Captain Welch here. Night Lord turn-ed himself in. He’s singing like a canary.”

Marcos growled. Must he hold Welch’s hand? “Take care of it.”

“Understood.”

 ###

The Emerald Avenger stood across from Marcos’ office. Thank God he hadn’t killed Night Lord. No real hero would stoop to cold-blooded murder. Besides, his ultimate target was Marcos. He had a feeling Marcos would be harder to take.

He’d better call it a day early, for the evening would be long and hard.

 “We know you’re not the top dog,” said the District Attorney.

Night Lord sighed. His hair stood on end, but that was nothing compared to what Marcos would do to him. “I’m not taking you to anybody else.”

“Look, you could get the death pen-alty for killing Jones. Come on, you’re young; it doesn’t have to be this way. Give us Marcos, and you don’t even have to go to prison. You can start a new life with a clean slate.”

“I’ll think about it. May I return to my cell now?”

“Sure.”

All of five minutes back in the slam-mer, the cell door opened. A man with a black hood hiding his face signaled for Night Lord to follow. He led Night Lord through security. Behind them, police offi-cers shouted and their feet thundered with the pursuit.

The hooded man pointed to a rusted tan van and handed him the keys. “There’s a map to Canada inside. Go there and lay low.”

“Thanks,” Night Lord said.

The man ran away. Night Lord leapt into the van. Police emerged from the jail. Night Lord turned the ignition.

The van exploded into flames.

Continued Next Tuesday

Tales of the Dim Knight is coming out as book November 22nd

Continued from Part Twenty-One

Revelator sat at his cottage’s fireplace, whittling a piece of wood with a knife, with all brain waves blocked except the pattern approaching the cottage.

Jesse walked in. I’ve been a real jerk and need to apologize.

“Yep,” Revelator said.

“What are you saying yep to?” the Sword asked.

Revelator continued to whittle. Do I look stupid? “Nothing.”

The Sword coughed. Maybe I can make this easier with some small talk. “What are you working on?”

“Don’t know yet. Might be a little wooden sword.”

“Laban, I’m sorry I blew up.”

“If it helps, you’re right about Revol-ution. Guy wanted to climb the inter-national hero chart by leading the whole op-eration. But he drafted Defender and me. He forcibly injected Defender with  China’s best, but inferior, reproduction of the super human formula that gave us the Justices. I suggested we consult you, but Revolution refused, and kept me closely guarded. My powers are not much of a match for super strength when I need to muscle my way out of a situation.”

“And you would have had to?”

“Better believe it. Revolution was in full on egomaniac mode. Almost as bad as you.”

“I resent that.”

“Truth hurts, man. Oh, you owe De-fender an apology. Revolution had him hoodwinked. He honestly believed this would meet your approval and get every-body home.”

“Duly noted.” Jesse huffed. Why ap-ologize to him? I don’t need him to like me. Besides, he should have told me.

“What is it with you?” Revelator glared. “You apologized to me because I’m your best friend and your son’s godfather?”

“Apologies are for maintaining good relationships. Defender will get over it without an apology, thus he doesn’t need one.”

“Your bad attitude is understandable, given where we are.”

The Sword arched his eyebrow. “You have a hypothesis?”

“Yes, but you won’t believe me.”

“I’ll believe you.”

“I told you Dark Mystic was bad news and you didn’t believe me.”

“Okay, I didn’t believe you that time, but I want to know where we’re at.”

“I told you Pantheon wanted in your pants and you didn’t believe me.”

“Okay, that was another mistake. Now tell me your theory!”

“Okay, Jesse. But remember, I told you that you wouldn’t believe me. We’re on a planet with no sun. This planet ought to be a cold, dead rock that’s so far adrift from its gravitational anchor it looks like all the other stars in the sky. Instead we have light in the day, giving way to pitch black dark-ness at night, as if this planet were orbiting around something nearby.”

Revelator stopped whittling. “The answer isn’t found in science, but I think I do have the answer.” Revelator grabbed his Bible off the bookshelf. “It’s in the Book of Revelation.”

The Sword laughed. “Your favorite.”

“Cute. Take a look at verse 21:23.”

Revelator opened the Bible. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God gave it light, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

Jesse gaped. “You think that we’re in Heaven?”

Revelator laughed. “We’re orbiting it. The light of God is so bright, it can provide the needs of our planet unassisted.”

“So what does orbiting Heaven have to do with my attitude?”

“Couple things. First, the soil’s high sulfuric content. Then we have all those hot springs bubbling up. Everyone seems to be at their worst and both Tarantula King and Payday have had to be put in strait jackets. Everyone is more fearful, lustful, wrathful, egotistical, and mean than they were on Earth.”

“What are you saying?”

“Luke talks about someone in Hell being able to look up and see Heaven.”

Jesse laughed. “You can’t seriously be suggesting—”

“I told you so.” Revelator closed the Bible. “But whether you believe me or not, we are standing on the surface of Hell.”

Continued next Monday

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Can Clark and Jimmy get past the guards and get the dynamite Superman needs to clear the way for the Pan-Am highway?

Original Air Date: December 17, 1941

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Continued from Part Seven

Sitting on his bunk, Snyder swallowed the last bite of his grits.

Kendell looked down at her watch. “Only ten more minutes until my relief gets here.”

Where was Colonel Morgan? They didn’t have much time. 

The door opened.

Colonel Morgan entered with Colonel Dread walking behind him.

Snyder and Kendell stood at attention.

Dread said, “Sergeant, open the door.”

Kendell unlocked the cell. Snyder came out. Morgan asked, “What did you learn?”

“I’ve figured out who is behind end-game. Dr. Toyota Rawlings has surreptiti-ously set up a compound in the Lolo Na-tional Forest.”

Dread frowned. “Where? “

“That’s the problem. She blindfolded the builder and his crew. In his personal diary, he figured, based on how far they’d driven, they were in the Lolo National Forest, though not close to the main road.”

“Did you check satellite images?”

Snyder laughed. Incompetent had been an understatement. “Sir, to avoid causing the wild life undue stress at the thought of a man-made object being stationed in space above them, we can’t get close enough to the wilderness to get a decent shot of the terrorists hiding there. Best I can tell, the camp is within a five mile radius, somewhere deep within the forest.”

“I’ll talk to Colonel Briggs. He’ll locate and launch a full scale attack on the compound.”

A full scale war would definitely upset the wildlife and get them all court-martialed. “Sir, Dr. Rawlings prepared that place for a full scale onslaught. A response that’s too large will lead to us getting bogged down while she gets away, or sends her doomsday message by remote.”

“What would you suggest?”

“A small strike force. It’ll be harder for her to detect and easier to hide from the eco-nuts.” Donovan’s allegiance there was a serious flaw, but no hero could be perfect.

Morgan tapped his chin. “I believe four would be about right. I’ll have a copter ready in fifteen to take us to Missoula. You three, be there in full battle gear, including body armor.”

Dread cleared his throat. “Sir, I have important meeting and such a delicate situation necessitates an Army Intelligence operation and Army Intelligence choosing the personnel, and I would hardly think it appropriate—”

Morgan frowned. “If Army Intelli-gence had wanted to take the lead, you shouldn’t have had your head stuck in a rule book. We don’t have time for a bunch of briefings. Everyone here already under-stands what’s going on. I say that’s good enough. I’ll call Colonel Briggs, let ‘em know we’re coming. He’ll get us a good ve-hicle. Oh, and Snyder, I want the personnel files of everyone on this mission.”

Colonel Morgan headed upstairs with Colonel Dread.

Sergeant Kendell unlocked Snyder’s cell. “Is Morgan always like that?”

“Nah, from the reports I’ve read, he can get kind of pushy.”

Continued Next Thursday

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Superman promises the Incas a miracle, but can he deliver?

Original Air Date: December 15, 1941

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Continued from Part Eighteen

The Emerald Avenger’s archnemesis screamed. “You promised!”

He ignored a twinge of guilt. “That’s just a silly moral rule you don’t even believe in. I’m fighting evil and can’t be bound by stupid superhero rules. Say good night.”

He went to press the button to end Night Lord’s life, but stopped at the specter that appeared. “Zolgron?”

“What’s a Zolgron?” Night Lord cried.

Zolgron said, “I just wanted to ask you if you were sure you wanted to kill him.”

“He’s a scumbag.”

“True, but killing a member of your own species destroys something in a human. I’ve had several hosts go insane and become mass murderers. I leave this decision to you.”

The Emerald Avenger watched Night Lord cringe. The Emerald Avenger placed the remote control in his pocket. The collar and chains fell off Night Lord.

“The nearest police station is six blocks away. Take one wrong step and you’re dead.”

Night Lord nodded and fled across the shag carpeting The Emerald Avenger had laid as part of his justice. Night Lord jump-ed and screamed with every step.

The Emerald Avenger followed. Night Lord made it to the police station post haste.

Continued Next Tuesday

Tales of the Dim Knight is coming out as book November 22nd

Continued from Part Twenty

Ian Bucknell sat still within his body, feeling as if Jalzebel had his demon fingers clenched tight over Ian’s mouth—and every other body part somehow, too.

Markum, his human captor, grouched into a phone. “Look, the old man was retired and we didn’t know about the boy.”

Jalzabel’s grip weakened. Ian wiggled his hand, his own hand, for the first time in months. He scanned the room for some way to do himself in before Jalzabel betrayed any more of Ian’s friends. The medieval dagger on the wall should work.

Markum paced. “No, Janus should not go after the Justice Family. We’ve got to make him accepted, and killing America’s most beloved hero is counterproductive to that. I got a rolodex of people that could do the job and not harm the Janus image.”

Ian stole towards the dagger.

“Yes,” Markum said. “I know. I’ll take care of it. I’ll take care of everything. Didn’t I get you this job, Rick? Haven’t I taken care of you?”

Ian grabbed the dagger and raised his right hand, aiming for his heart. He thrust.

Jalzabel redirected the knife into Ian’s left shoulder. Intense pain sizzled through Ian’s body. Jalzabel laughed.

“Hold on. I’ll call you back.” Markum ran over. “What happened?”

Jalzabel said, “I had some fun.”

Markum examined the wound and cursed. “I need to call Dr. Malner and put a tourniquet on this so it doesn’t bleed out. You can have fun with Bucknell later. We’ve got to get ready for your next trip.”

Ian’s body pulsed with the lust of the demon to slay him and show Markum who was really the boss of this outfit.

Instead, Jalzabel answered with false humility, “That’s not for two weeks.”

“Hopefully, by then, we’ll have a new way to come at this.”

“I’ll kill them all off eventually.”

“At this rate, it’ll take two years and a lot of luck to get rid of them all. We need this taken care of in three months.”

Continued next Monday

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Clark Kent tries to fake the deaths of Perry White and the engineer.

Original Air Date: December 12, 1941

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Issue 9 of Laser and Sword is now available on Kindle for $2.99. In this issue:

Continued from Part Six

Colonel Morgan stood outside of Colonel Dread’s door. It’d be Lieutenant Dread by the time he was through. Dread was still in bed at 0700 hours, the sign of an undisciplined officer. Morgan knocked. Loud snoring answered.

He knocked again. “Colonel Dread!”

A groan emitted behind the door.

“Colonel Dread!”

Silence.

Morgan kicked open the door.

Dread covered himself with a sheet and sat up. “Who the blazes are you?”

“Colonel Morgan of Moscow, Idaho.” He added to the light bird, “A full bird.”

Dread groaned. “Sir, you’ll pardon me if I don’t stand to salute.”

“That infraction I can forgive, but it’s the only one. Are all your people asleep?”

“No, sir. Everyone else was up at 0600.”

“Indeed, everyone in this army was up at 0600, except for you.”

“Sir, what brings you here?”

“Private A. L. Snyder provided me vital information and you put him in the stockade.“

“He violated regulations.”

“So you are concerned if your under-lings obey regulations? In this case, he did what was necessary, and I’m demanding his release.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but you don’t have jurisdiction. My direct line of command is General Wolfe, and he hasn’t ordered me to release the prisoner. And while you do outrank me, I would point out that I have special status as an Imperial hero.”

Morgan smirked. “Really?”

“I uncovered evidence of Ivan’s treachery that vindicated his just execution in the eyes of the public.”

“That’s nice. Six years ago, I was a captain serving in the African theater and saved the life of a young man under my command. I was rewarded with a promo-tion to Colonel.”

“So what?”

Morgan laughed. “I can call him for you. I’ve got his personal number on my speed dial under D. He’s always willing to chat, though he gets grumpy if I call this time of the morning. He takes his personal time now and doesn’t like to be interrupted.“

“Are you implying the boy you saved was Donovan the Steward?”

“That it was, Colonel. Do you want me to call him?”

Dread sighed. “Let’s get Snyder.”

“Glad you see it my way, Colonel.”

“One thing, Colonel. It’s confusing to call each other Colonel. We’re very close in rank, how about we call each other by last names?”

“I’ll meet you half way. I’ll call you Dread. You can call me sir.”

Dread grunted. “Yes, sir.”

Continued Next Thursday

Subscribe to Laser & Sword by Email to get the next part and all the rest of our free offerings delivered to you. To find out what happens sooner, visit theLaser and Sword Online store and download Issue 1 for free or purchase the Annual Editioncontaining 11 action packed stories