Bullets soared by as a battered body tumbled through the gunfire, rolling to shelter behind a stone pillar. He had no idea where the battle had taken him, but it was dark and made of concrete, possibly a layered car garage. Hounded by the grey garbed legion for what seemed like forever, this was one of the first breathers he was able to sneak in during the chase. The blank troops closed into his location with pistols drawn and faces dead. He wished he could fight back, but that would be wrong. It was not their fault, after all.
"Return the Key," demanded the numbers in unison with their joined, monotone voice, "and your death will be swift." Grinding his teeth to choke out his rage, he clutched the stolen object even tighter as the surroundings were studied for some route of escape. The city was depending on him, no, the world. He sprung from hiding once he heard them getting too close and, with a mad dash to wall, threw himself threw the safety barrier. Catching a few shots in the back of his leg, he sailed through the air with the pieces of the shattered guard rail. He dropped like a stone toward the pavement below, falling, falling, and then rising. Soaring like the bold eagle of the land he was sworn to defend, what remained of his cape spread wide as the Star Spangled Crusader's command over gravity came back under his control.
"Sorry, Mind Minions," the man apologized with a toothy grin across his wide chin, "but you can tell Mind Lord that evil will not be victorious today." Stretching one muscular arm forward, he tried to steady his shaky flight. Passing over the heads of city dwellers, the onlookers could not see the familiar streak striped red and white, now just red, but they still cheered on their great hero.
It had been a long day, but the battle was far from over. Many topnotch members of the Guardian Guild had been lost, and what remained was spread throughout the city fighting smaller skirmishes to keep the evildoers occupied. The spy within the Sinister Squad had informed the heroes of plans to construct a Doom's Day Device, D-3. The most vital component for the weapon, luckily, was a relic of advanced, arcane, and alien origin, the Key, which was being smuggled into town. This was the only weakness in the design. Without this component, humanity would be safe. However, the object cannot merely be destroyed, for, with all its power unleashed, its destruction could spell the end of the whole galaxy. Until the proper disposal was discovered, they just had to keep out of the villains' hands, but they would not let that be an easy task.
"Curse that star studded fool!" whined a nefarious figure in purple spandex, stepping up to the broken barrier as the grey, mindless drones stood around worthlessly. "Well, if he thinks he can escape the wrath of Dr. Ray, then his days are over!" Laughing maniacally, the fiend twisted his helmet so that a visor slid over his eyes. Raising both his arms, rings around his forearms began to glow. Locking onto his target, all eight bands were shining bright. "Full power!" he unnecessarily stated as twin beams of energy were discharged, ripping across the sky. There was nothing the Crusader could have done as the brilliant lasers blasted him from the heavens. Only the Key remained, tumbling in the air amidst a shower of blood before crashing down to the city streets of below. However, eager hands were waiting to catch it...
