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| Midnight Men #7 Pencil and ink by Chris |
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| Dr. Bob Hayler |
The anchor introduces Dr. Halyer and advises some audience members may find his points and arguments disturbing:
“My fellow Americans. The last twenty-eight years have seen the rebirth of a humanity declared by God, overseen by God, and blessed by God over the United States, and the world. Since the monster called Omega invaded and killed so many of our super-powered heretics, freeing the world of their corruption, we have lived in blessed unity.
But now, in Stark City, the evil has returned and they have taken the name 'The Midnight Men', and indeed ,their activities appear to be rooted in darkness. Their appearance has allowed and encouraged determined criminals, with similar abilities, to feel that they now have the right to use their powers to commit sins against God's people and take whatever they want, whenever they want it. We are witnessing a rising of the wicked! Their nature is disturbing; it is rumoured that one member, who is not a man but a monster , consumes the raw flesh of his victims. Another is aligned with Godless forces and summons up demonic spirits in order to subject his victims to unholy powers. Yet another dallies with technology and inventions that serve only his own gratification and desire for power in this world, rather than to serve God. One more is a disgraced member of law enforcement, and who now uses his skills and motivations to degrade the very profession he once stood for.
I encourage you all to come to my rally tomorrow night in Stark City, where we will praise God and shine His cleansing light on those that blaspheme His name. Thank you, good night, and I hope to see everyone tomorrow at our rally. God bless you all.”
With a chicken leg in his hand and a face full of grease, Masked Justice looks at everyone and says "That doesn't sound good."
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The next morning, parents are at schools holding up signs reading : CHILDREN NEED NORMAL! and LOCKUP THE SUPERHEROES!
Each of the Midnight Men's Qualities are engaged, causing Trouble: Black Bolt (Q: Man or Monster?) is feared by the public and hunted by the police. Dr. M and GateKeeper (Q: Obsessive and Know the Unknowable, respectively) are too preoccupied doing research on Dr. Halyer and The Cleansing, to do damage control on public relations and Masked Justice (Q: Justice will be Served) questions his own vigilante methods.
At the rally, Dr. Halyer introduces his group of "Purifiers" to enact God's will and eliminate the Midnight Men. His natural charisma and words have a hypnotic quality that soon wins over the cheering crowd.
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| Purifier |
Just then, the Midnight Men show up to the rally. But before they can introduce themselves to Dr. Halyer, his Purifiers ATTACK!
One Purifier flies at Masked Justice who takes off, initiating a high-speed chase. They speed towards a building and at the last second Masked Justice veers upward while the Purifier crashes through the concrete wall. The Purifier soon emerges, his powered armour cracked and smoking, but he is rammed by a sonic speeding Masked Justice, hammering him earthward and burying him deep into the ground.
The police see Black Bolt and immediately open fire while the crowd cheers "Kill the Monster!" Black Bolt staggers back from the onslaught of the entire police squad's gun fire, but does not fight back because the police are misguided in their actions, not evil, and Black Bolt's Quality: Sworn to Protect prevents him from hurting them. This goes on for two pages, which makes x2 Trouble for Black Bolt giving him 2 Determination points.
GateKeeper puts up his magical shield just in time to block a Purifier's energy blast. GateKeeper then weaves a dark incantation and the Purifier's mind is flooded with nightmare images pulled from the darkest corners of his mind. He screams then falls unconscious, his psyche unable to cope with the torrent of horror unleashed upon it.
Dr. Midnight squares off against two of the Purifiers. They move in on him but he flips over top and slaps power absorbers on their backs, draining their battery-powered suits. A few judo chops to the jaw and solar plexus with his power gloves and the Purifiers are french- kissing concrete.
His Purifiers defeated, Dr. Bob Halyer jumps in his Cadillac and floors it to get away, but it's difficult for him to to see where he's going with the area blanketed in smoke and dust from the battle that transpired. As he blindly speeds away, his car heads straight for a massive, deformed giant that crackles and sparks with electric energy. Suddenly, there's a huge impact to the car's hood as two mammoth fists smash down, causing it to somersault through the air and land on its roof with a crash. Desperate with fear, Dr. Bob tries to open his door but it's stuck from the impact. Then, through the smoke he sees a dark, hulking figure walking towards him. It gets closer and closer with each beat of Bob's panic stricken heart.
Black Bolt: I'm coming for you, Bob.
Dr. Hayler cries: No! No! Please...
Black Bolt: the Monster is coming to get you. To eat your flesh.
Suddenly, the car door is ripped off its hinges and Bob is pulled from the car and lifted up, bringing him face to face with the golems hideous visage. He screams in terror at the horrific sight.
Black Bolt: Remember this, Bob - The Monster wants to kill you, but the man is letting you live.
Black Bolt throws Dr. Halyer to the ground where he curls up into a ball, shaking and traumatized, then Black Bolt leaps away.
Dr. Midnight removes one of the Purifiers' helmets for further examination when the crowd turns on him, Gatekeeper and Masked Justice, calling for their arrest and even deaths, then erecting makeshift gallows. Realizing they are facing a crazed mob, GateKeeper creates a portal and they teleport away.
The Midnight Men are now public enemy #1 and wanted for arrest by the Stark City P.D. Placed all around the city and published on social media are wanted posters with headshots of the Midnight Men and underneath is marked "Extremely Dangerous."
