“The energy reading is directly below us. I’ve never seen power like this before.”
“I see it.” said Cabal. “We will land in the adjoining field.”
Kurgen landed the aircraft, and soon they were standing in front of the strange energy.
“What is it?” asked Ant.
Before anyone could reply the energy began to change. A few seconds later a slightly hazy image began to appear.
“What is that?” asked Mordred. “It looks like London.”
Cabal closed his eyes and began to concentrate. A few seconds later his eyes were open.
“It is what I have been looking for.” he said. “This, my friends, is the gateway to another world.”
“Are you sure?” asked Kurgen. “It looks just like London.”
“That is because it is what you would call a parallel world, much like our own. I believe it is there we will find the challenge we need.”
“Are you saying we should go through that thing?” asked Ant. “You’re bloody mad!”
Cabal turned and stared coldly at the size-changer.
“You are either with me or against me. We enter the portal.”
Cabal then stepped forward and stepping into the portal. He was soon followed by Kurgen, Watt, Mordred and Ant. A few seconds later they were gone from their world.
Arthur Pendragon and Duncan McCloud walked through the corridors of the mansion. Pendragon was showing the prospective member around.
“Is is actually quite comfortable here.” said Pendragon. “Most of us stay here. I myself stay at Pendragon Manor.”
They stopped at a door.
“Ah, the monitor room. Here we are.”
Pendragon opened the door to see Paul Solo taking his turn on watch. They found Solo staring intently at the scanner screen.
“Arthur, good!” said Solo. “I’m glad you’re here. I think you should have a look at this.”
Pendragon walked over to the screen.
“What is it?”
“Some kind of energy reading.” Solo replied. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“How long has it been there?”
“I picked it up a few minutes ago. It’s been getting gradually stronger and stronger. I can’t tell if it’s dangerous or not, or where it’s coming from.”
“Keep an eye on it. It may be nothing but I’d rather not take any chances.”
Reid was amazed when Magus brought the last reference book on the library to their table.
“We’ve been here for just over two hours now.” said Reid. “How many books have you read in that time?”
“I lost count in the mid three-fifties.” Magus replied. “I’m finding this very interesting however. Do you realise that there was no Eugenics War here?”
“What is the last major conflict here then?”
“The civil war in the former Yugoslavia. Before that it was the Gulf War.”
“And what about those with super-powers. Are there any here?”
“As far as I can tell there are none. There are some people who claim to have psychic powers and who can bend spoons but that’s it. No wizards, no men who can stretch like rubber, no men who can leap tall buildings in a single bound, nothing. In fact I….”
Before Magus said anything else he stopped. A strange look appeared on his face.
“What is it?”
“I have the strangest feeling that something is very wrong.” replied Magus. “As if something is happening back on our world.”
“Like what?”
“I can’t tell. All I know is something is very wrong.”
The people of London began to feel uneasy at the sight of five rather fearsome looking men walking through the streets. The Kurgen had many a happy time scaring away little old ladies by just laughing at them. That was something that Cabal did not wholeheartedly approve of.
“Are we just going to walk around this worthless city all day?” snapped Kurgen. “You told us there would be a challenge here. Where is it?”
Down the street they heard the voice of a newspaper vendor.
“Get your Evening Standard here! Pictures of the Anglo-Force wedding, in colour!”
The name Anglo-Force seemed to spark something in Cabal’s mind. Cabal approached the vendor. Just by looking at the man Cabal was able to half-scare him to death, so much so that the vendor just handed over a copy of the newspaper to him. Walking away Cabal quickly flipped through the pages until he found the centre spread with pictures of the James Watt-Katrina Velichev wedding. A smile appeared on his face as he read the article. He soon joined his comrades.
“Gentlemen, I believe we have found ourselves a challenge. This story tells of the wedding of two members of a group known as Anglo-Force. They are a group of super-powered operatives who work for their government. This should provide a more than adequate test for us.”
“And how do we get their attention?” asked Mordred.
Jetson Man, Doctor Mordrid and Mr. X stood in the monitor room looking at the scanner.
“The energy reading changed a few minutes ago.” said Mr. X. “As if some other form of energy came into contact with it.”
Mordrid began to operate the computer.
“It appears to be a portal of some kind, but I can’t tell where it’s from from here. I suggest that we take a look at it.”
Jetson Man pressed a button on the communications panel.
“Colonel Watt and Red Man report to the hangar deck. Prepare for an away mission.”
“It may be best if I go alone.” said Mordrid.
“No way.” said Jetson Man. “If that is a portal there’s no telling where it came from. We are coming with you.”
Mordrid smiled at Jetson Man.
“I should know by now never to argue with you!”
Kurgen began to walk down the street, making rude gestures at passers-by. He looked as if he was having the time of his life. Then he took his mighty broadsword in his hand and began to smash several windows. He then used his sword to cut into several buildings, sending bricks and mortar flying everywhere. Then he was soon joined by his sword-wielding comrade Mordred. Together they sent men and women running for cover as they went on their rampage.
Several of them tried to take refuge in a nearby building, but they had not counted on the tremendous power of Commander Watt. He grabbed hold of the bottom of the building and began to shake it. A few seconds later and the building collapsed, killing and severely injuring all of those inside. Meanwhile Cabal stood in the middle of the street, his hands raised high above his head. He was cast a spell which sent several cars spiralling into the air, and a few seconds later he made them crash to the ground. Then it was the turn of the Ant who used his size-changing power to make several more cars crash into the buildings. The chaos had begun.
Jetson Man, Mordrid, Mr. X, Watt and Red Man stood before the strange glow of energy. Mordrid was using his magical powers in an attempt to study the energy.
“Can you tell what it is yet?” asked Jetson Man.
“It is changing.” said Mordrid.
The wizard was correct. A few seconds later an image appeared in front of them.
“It’s London!” said Watt.
“No.” said Mordrid. “It is not our London.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jetson Man.
“This is the gateway to another world, a world identical to our own.” said Mordrid.
Then the image changed to one of five men attacking helpless people in the streets.
“Look!” said Red Man. “They’re under some sort of attack.”
“We must do something.” said Mr. X
“No.” said Mordrid. “I would advise against it.”
“Look for yourself man!” said Jetson Man. “Helpless men and women are being slaughtered by…whoever they are! We just can’t stand here and watch them being killed!”
“We cannot enter the portal.” said Mordrid. “There may be no way back!”
“I took an oath to protect life.” said Jetson Man.
And with that the leader stepped into the portal. He was soon followed by the others. Mordrid was the last one to enter, against his better judgement.
News of the disturbance soon reached the Anglo-Force mansion, and even though the emergency services were on the scene they could do nothing against the five powerful attackers.
“Well Duncan.” said Pendragon. “Maybe now is the time to see if you’d like to join our number. Want to come along?”
“I’ll do anything I can to help.”
Pendragon turned to Solo.
“Who else is here?”
“Apart from us three Ultare and Colossus.”
“Get them to meet us in the hangar. We are going to need all the help we can get!”
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