Free torg 02 - The Dark Realm by Douglas Kaufman Page A

years, they were never meant for use against Terra. Mobius has left our world and is even now attempting to conquer other worlds."
    "I don't understand ..." Cage stammered.
    "I have located him on another world, Angus," Frest emphasized. "He has left our planet to spread his evil elsewhere. And what evil it is! He has destroyed at least six worlds over his thirty-year career. But we have him now!"
    Cage looked around at all the costumed heroes. These were the Mystery Men, as the tabloids called them, the heroes that fought to keep the world safe from the madmen like Mobius. In fact, each of the men and women here had battled Mobius at one time or another.
    "What are you planning to do, Alexus?" Cage asked softly.
    "That is what I am here to explain, Angus."
    The Guardian helped Frest up onto a large crate so that the scientist could be seen by everyone in the chamber. Then he addressed his audience.
    "My friends," Frest began. "For years I toiled in the labor of the villain Mobius, helping him gather wealth and power. It was always my impression that I was helping Mobius further his plans on Terra, but I was wrong. Records we found in this very temple, hidden in a secret chamber, reveal that Mobius is in possession of a device that allows him to travel to other dimensions! And he is using this device to conquer these dimensions with impunity. We have all fought against Dr. Mobius
     
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    at some point in our careers, and we have all failed to stop him. So, we each must share a portion of the blame lot what has befallen these innocent worlds."
    A murmuring started, quickly spreading through the chamber. The Guardian tapped his cane on the stone
    floor three time, loudly cutting through the noise. The chamber fell silent again.
    "I have devised our own way to travel to this newest
    dimension," Frest continued. "But the systems are fragile, i mtested. At best, this will be a one-way trip. I'm not sure if I can duplicate the process once we reach this new world."
    "Why us?" called a woman Cage recognized as Miss Freedom.
    "Because," the Guardian answered, "someone has to do it. Afraid you can't cut it, lady?"
    "No one is required to make this trip," Frest Interrupted quickly. "But those of you who do decide to iccompany us must make a pledge. That is my only request."
    "What kind of pledge?" Cage asked as he weighed his options.
    Dr. Frest stood as straight as he could, and his voice i.ing out with a power it never had before. "We, the Mystery Men of Terra, must pledge ourselves to each other and to our quest. We must fight to end Mobius' roign of terror, even at the cost of our own lives!"
    Cage glanced from side to side, noting that while not ,ill of those present had raised their hands, more than half of them did. He added his own to the group and let his voice join the others.
     

     
    "We, the Mystery Men of Terra, do pledge ourselves to each other and to our quest. We will fight to end Mobius' reign of terror, even at the cost of our own
    lives!"
    Dr. Frest smiled. "Help me down, my boy," he said to Cage. Cage did so, then followed the scientist over to a weird machine.
    The machine was all controls and dials, connected to a frame that was attached to one wall of the chamber. When Frest threw a switch, blue and red light filled the inside of the frame.
    "This is our gate to another world," Frest called above the hum of the machine. "Step through while you can, before the machine burns out and the gate closes."
    Not waiting to see if anyone else was coming, the Guardian stepped into the light and disappeared. With a shrug Cage followed him, letting the light engulf him in its crackling embrace.
     
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    "Very good, Mara," the pilot said. "Very, very good."
    Mara was pleased herself. She was finally handling the plane on her own, not through repetition via chip replay. Forced-learning drugs, administered to her throughout her days in school, made her mind more susceptible to new ideas and processes. She laughed out