1.20

Hunter, Jimena, Silas and Gauzelle had finished training for the day. Stick had pushed them extremely hard. An obstacle course specifically designed to exploit all their weaknesses. Silas had come close to giving up on the course, but Stick threatened to tell Michael if he did.

Silas flopped down on the lounge, exhausted. Jimena prepared a healthy, green shake for him, insisting it would help his recovery.

Gauzelle fell asleep on the couch, collapsing into a pile of bandages.

“It was pretty rough today, hey,” Hunter remarked.

“Yeah. Do you ever wonder if we’re doing the right thing? All this training, driving ourselves to the edge.” Jimena had made herself a green shake too and downed it in one go.

“I think so. We need to be the best we can as fast as we can.” Hunter heated up a pie and stared through the oven window, watching it slowly turn gold and crispy.

“Hey there young heroes. Help is needed Downtown.” Hunter and Jimena flicked their communicators up and were greeted with Michael’s joyful face.

“What’s up Michael?” Jimena asked.

“There’s a character at Downtown Square, wreaking havoc. I think they said his name is Rampage?”

“Yeah, I know him. I’ve dealt with him already. Big, strong and dumb.” Hunter replied.

“All right, I’ll wake them,” said Jimena.

“Nah, he should be okay. It was just Silas and I last time we dealt with him. They need their rest.”

“Okay you two. I need you down there, and fast,” said Michael.

“We’re on it,” said Jimena. Their communicators flickered off, they looked at each other and were out the door within moments.

Jimena and Hunter had quickly made it to Downtown Square, and they were immediately greeted with carnage.

Cars were overturned everywhere, a few were on fire. Fronts of buildings were destroyed and there was a fire hydrant sitting in the middle of the jumbo screen that ran 24/7 news coverage.

There were a few police around the Square, but they stuck to the sidelines. Keeping blockades up and hoping that the villain would leave them alone.

“We’ll take it from here,” Hunter said to a nearby police officer.

“Sorry, but who are you?”

“Mite and Quagmire. Heroes in training. We’ll take care of him.” The three of them ducked as a car seat flew past them.

“Never heard of you. No offence but neither of you two look like you’ll be much help here. Its okay, we’ve got back up on the way.”

Hunter and Jimena ignored him and approached Rampage in the middle of the Square.

“Hey dummy, remember me?” Hunter called out. Rampage dropped the car he had been pulling apart and spun to face the pair.

“Oh yeah. You made me sneeze. I’ve been hoping to run into you again.”

“Well here I am.”

“Where’s your bouncy friend? He was really annoying.”

“He’s busy, but I’ve got another friend here with me.” Hunter motioned to Jimena, who waved at Rampage.

“This time it won’t be so easy for you.” A crazy smile stretched across Rampage’s face.

“Why’s that?” Hunter asked.

“Because of this.” Rampage pulled a small needle out of his pocket. He jammed it into his thigh, pushed it in and broke out into laughter.

Rampage’s body started to change. It bubbled and morphed. In places it grew, and it shivered all over. Patterns broke out across his body and Hunter realised his skin was developing thick, plated scales.

His lower jaw extended out and widened, two tusks sprung forth, giving him a serious looking underbite. Hunter couldn’t believe it, but Rampage’s muscles were bigger.

“How’s this?” Rampage laughed. His voice had gotten deeper and had a strange warble tone to it. Almost as though he was talking underwater.

“You just had to ask, didn’t you?” Jimena growled at Hunter.

“How was I supposed to know he’d have some weird ass drug that would alter him into a giant monster?”

“Just assume anyone can.” Jimena and Hunter ran in opposite directions. Jimena shot slime balls at his feet, hoping to stick him to the ground. Rampage laughed and broke his feet free with little effort.

“This doesn’t look good,” Jimena called out. Hunter silently agreed and opened one of his flasks of dust. Seeing Rampage’s new form, he knew it wasn’t going to be enough. He opened his second flask. He knew he had to get closer, but the sight of Rampage was intimidating.

Jimena launched a large slime ball at Rampage’s face. It stuck, and the giant staggered a little. He roared and wiped the slime off his face.

As Rampage wiped the slime off, he failed to see Hunter had closed in and was now in distance to attack. Hunter released his cloud of dust, directing it down Rampage’s throat and up his nose.

Rampage sneezed, coughed, and then laughed. He locked eyes with Hunter who felt his insides crawl in fear.

“Not this time, you puny runt.” Rampage batted Hunter. Hunter went flying and crashed into the side of a car. Hunter couldn’t bring himself to move. He’d never known so much pain.

Jimena watched her teammate rocket through the air. She ran over to him, her heart pounding in her head.

“Are you all right?”

“Pain…” Hunter spoke in barely a whisper.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Rampage roared. He cackled as he closed in toward them.

“Run.” Hunter gurgled.

“No. I’m not leaving you.” Jimena turned to face Rampage. She concentrated on forming a giant slime ball. It enveloped her arm, bubbling and writhing.

Rampage was on them now. He brought his fists together and raised them high over his head. Jimena raised her arm, ready to fire, when a shadow came over them. Something cracked into the side of Rampage’s head and Rampage flew back a few feet.

A musclebound police officer stood in front of Jimena, facing Rampage. His shirt was too tight, and he wielded a traffic light.

“Ho, ho. We are Traffic Control and we are here to stop you nasty villain,” the police officer guffawed. The officer planted the traffic light on the ground and Jimena watched as the traffic light morphed into a blonde woman. She also wore a police uniform and although not as muscular as her partner, she was just as tall.

“Do you really have to go around declaring us to each villain we have to stop?” the woman slapped her hand over her face, clearly annoyed.

“Of course I have to. How will they know who defeats them? I’m sorry boss but I just can’t help myself.” The man waved about in exaggerated gestures and ended his point with a flex.

“Look, pea brain. Everyone knows who we are. You don’t need to shout it.” She looked away from him.

“But boss. I can’t help it. Its like a compulsory or something.” The male struck another pose.

“Can you stop it with those ridiculous poses? They make you look so stupid.” She cracked him on the top of his head, and he fell to the ground.

“But sis, I can’t help it.” He picked himself back up and Jimena was certain he was crying.

“You clearly didn’t get brains from mom or dad. Everyone knows you’ve got huge muscles, just simmer down.” She massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, shaking her head.

“You’ve got the brains. I’ve got the looks. Ha!” The man flexed again.

Rampage watched this whole exchange play through, confused. Why weren’t they paying him any attention? He approached them, his head swimming in rage.

“Hey, you’re here to fight me.” The two officers looked at Rampage. They both landed a punch square on his face. Their combined strength sent him flying into a storefront.

“How should we do this?” The male asked. He started to flex into another pose. Jimena could see he struggled with himself to stop, but couldn’t stop the pose from breaking through.

“How do we always do it? I’ll give you a moment.” She looked at her nails and noticed one of them was chipped.

“Lay the smackdown.”

“All right, lets go.” The woman morphed back into her traffic light form. Her brother grabbed his weapon and they rushed Rampage. It was a one-sided fight and when Rampage was knocked out, he reverted to his normal form.

“Michael, Hunter need help. And quick.” Jimena stood over Hunter’s broken body like a watchdog.

“Okay, I’m sending someone now.”

A figure with a cape had watched the whole fight take place. They wrapped themselves in the cloak and disappeared.