All posts by Jim Zoetewey

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 9

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Marcus’ eyes glazed over as he absorbed the knowledge, but then he said, “Yeah. That’s got to be it. There isn’t anything else like that. I’ll head down… Well, unless there are defenses. Then we go shields up, I guess.”

We already had been because we were cloaked, but I upped the level of protection, saying, “I’d be surprised if someone else hasn’t already visited. I think I remember Rook saying he’d been to the Moon.”

Jaclyn sighed, “Great. We need to run into that psycho up here.” Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 9 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 8

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By then, Marcus had already gone through the checklist, and all systems showed green—even those that allowed interstellar flight.

He glanced at me, “Do you want to take control?”

“If you want to fly it,” I said, “go ahead. You already got everything going.”

He grinned and grabbed the joystick, “Let’s go.” Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 8 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 7

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Hey, I thought as I walked across the main room’s concrete floor, did they say anything about clairvoyantly finding Magnus?

I tried, Daniel thought back, he’s obscured either by something Rook made or another telepath.

I considered that, Any chance you might at least be able to predict when he figures out how to use the device? He’s got some control over it, but he could get more even if he can’t get full access unless he beats us to whatever mystery spot they left it at.

I could feel Daniel consider it, I’m not sure. He’s fuzzy and the device is dangerous, but if I can come up with the right side effect, I might be able to predict that. Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 7 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 6

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Vaughn stopped, and frowned, “I mean, I probably can’t do much of anything up there except for throwing lightning inside the jet or my suit, but it’s still the moon. It would be cool. It’s just that the more I think about it, the more I think I’ll be a lead weight—no powers except where they could do more damage than help.”

Looking up from my screen at the table, I said, “We can think about it. It’s probably a bad idea, but if there are… I don’t know… Selenites or something up there, for all we know there might be a secretly inhabitable area. It’s not like that never happens in comics.”

“Or Nazis,” Vaughn said, shrugging. Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 6 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 5

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With a sigh, Vaughn said, “Okay. It would be easier if you guys took a more active role than telling us we’re on the right track.”

C didn’t hesitate, “The Mentalist followed the futures where we took an active role. They didn’t turn out as well as this one.”

Haley looked up from the table toward him, “This is one of the good futures?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but yes. We’re still wondering if we’ve given you too much help so far.” Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 5 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 4

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Nataw’s eyes widened, “That’s not good at all. I didn’t mean… Do we have to destroy them now? I don’t want to.”

Lee sighed, using his extended Abominator fingers to press the final series of buttons to turn the field off, “No. It would cause too many problems. If we destroy the Abominators, we’ll have to fly all over the galaxy to kill them all. No great loss, but it’ll attract attention from Destroy and then it’ll be a family thing and we don’t need that. Besides, I’ve already set up a species that should be able to handle them. It’ll be untraceable and look like the natural consequence of poking around where you shouldn’t.”

Pressing the last button, Lee heard a whisper of white noise as the machine stopped working. He turned around, returning to the human form he’d had before. Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 4 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 3

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Nataw smiled at him, “I wasn’t worried. I knew you’d be by eventually. It isn’t all about winning or losing. There are some things you only learn by mistake. Besides, even if they held me captive for a thousand years, what of it? What’s a thousand years? It isn’t even as if they had all of me. All I have to do is discorporate and embody myself again in this universe.

“I’m fine.”

Lee raised an eyebrow, “You’re fine? You can discorporate in the middle of that?” Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 3 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 2

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“His name?” I asked, “who was that guy?”

Daniel nodded, “Constantine Doukas. He’s Greek. He appears to have been raised in one of the Cabal’s hidden colonies. The Nine had some kind of connection to that colony and he ended up fighting us, but here’s the interesting thing—the Nine have their own power impregnators. He went through one and the ability to do that appeared.”

“No shit,” Cassie pushed back from the table. “I don’t know if I told you this, but the first time I fought the Nine, the time Nick picked me up in Washington D.C., I fought another orange guy. He wasn’t the same. He was more spider-like with glowing orange legs that contained some kind of hot liquid? Think they’re related?”

“No idea,” I said, glancing over at Daniel. Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 2 →

Arc 14.1.5: If Found Please Return

If Found, Please Return: Part 1

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I wouldn’t have given any thought to the man if I’d seen him on the street—brown haired, shorter than average, wearing red sweatpants and a white t-shirt that advertised a brand of pop.

I might have had a question about the sweatpants. They had stains.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jaclyn and the final mobile Cabal soldier. Somewhere in the middle of our fight, she and the Cabal soldier had stopped facing off and started fighting. Continue reading If Found, Please Return: Part 1 →

Arc 14.1.0: Before Midnight

Before Midnight: Part 11

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The creature bellowed and all eight arms flailed, but it didn’t fall. The lightning hit and the creature’s body absorbed it.

Bits of electricity whirled around its arms before disappearing.

Still impossible to understand, the giant’s mouth opened and shrieked, but that wasn’t the attack. The attack came in the form of lightning thrown from its hands. Continue reading Before Midnight: Part 11 →