Everything around me seems so much Different than where I'm from And at this rate I think my fate's been sealed This life's so unpredictable We'll go Continue to live a life that No one knows Where's this gonna go?
Right here, right now, this is The beginning of the end (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) And I won't sing one single thing until we can get this right I'm moving on, I'm moving on
Late night in Tokyo, Lightning Man traverses over several rooftops until he stops and kneels over. He reaches behind and pulls out a pair of binoculars and scans a nearby dock and harbor. To the masked hero, he see’s a warehouse that looks similar to his encounter with Vastrix. Although that warehouse is under lockdown by the Japanese government, his tip off from his friends make him think differently, as he speaks to himself.
Lightning Man: Hmm. These docks are a seedy hot bed for the unsavory. Michael Vastrix may have been onto something here. The man had a submarine for himself. But who knows what else is out here, who knows who is out here…
Suddenly Lightning’s headcomm turns on
???: Steel to Lightning, are you there?
Lightning: Yes I’m here Maple Steel, what is it?
Maple: You better get to me ASAP. Theres something you need to hear, and I’ll need some backup.
Lightning looks down at his wrist and see’s a local radar to see where he is and his compatriot Maple Steel is.
Lightning: Hang tight Maple, I’ll be right there.
Lightning puts his binoculars away and starts running on the rooftops to the east to get to his friend, Maple Steel. Maple Steel, who was Barry Calhoun, was an experienced fighter in hand-to-hand and firearms, however his main goal is to always apprehend any and all adversaries, as his belief is anybody can be rehabilitated, and not see them defeated in death.
Lightning: It’s not like Barry to ask for help, if the situation is where he needs backup, this has to be serious. Good thing he’s not too far, in case he's already compromised…
Lightning dives off a building and uses his grappling hook to gain speed and a bit of gliding. As he does he see’s a man clad in blue armor and helmet with an even brighter blue maple leaf on his chest cross a corner and wave to Lightning, it was Maple Steel. Lightning quits gliding and lands in front of his comrade.
Maple: Glad you can make it so quickly.
Lightning: Yeah. What’s wrong? Have you called Red Star?
Maple: No, he’s too occupied, he said. Besides I know you would get here sooner, and do the right thing when the time comes.
Lightning: Well if you say so. So what is it?
Maple: Red told me that fellow of yours would be here tonight and he was right. But he didn’t come alone. Here, take a look.
Maple would hand Lightning his thermal binoculars to see plenty of people standing and walking around with two men sitting in two separate cars
Lightning: So? The honcho is here with a bunch of goon’s, you’ve handled tougher situations than these punks.
Maple: The punks aren’t the issue. It’s something more. Listen to this.
Maple would press a button on his wrist showing a recorded audio from the men in the vehicles
Man 1: …and I expect you to deliver your promise sir. The president of the free world doesn’t take kindly to people who can’t deliver. People like that disappear.
Man 2: I’ve never let your American president down before! How do you even work for him, you’re not-
Man 1: I know what I am. That doesn’t change my employment mister. Do you have the files of the Vastrix warehouse massacre?
Man 2: No… Project A however did recover his body. They’ve transported it to a secure location. As it stands, only those with high enough clearance can access Project A.
Man 1: What is “Project A”?
Man 2: Project A is- static
Lightning: What happened to the audio?
Maple: Signal was breaking up just before you got here. I’d assume its your suit with all your gizmos and gadgets you carry that caused interference.
Someone with red eyes walks past the heroes, but they do not notice him. The red eyed person looked at the heroes as a high pitched noise was heard and walked away.
Lightning: Did you hear something?
Maple: Yeah… But I have no idea what that coulda been…
Lightning: Anyway… How does this person work for the president of the US? Who is he?
Maple: I don’t know. I’m not familiar with your country's politicians. Or bad actors. The real question is, how did this guy get here? And how does he know about what happened with you, the German and the fat guy.
Lightning: We’ve been trapped in Japan for about a year, Maple. Things can change without us knowing. Either way, we’ll need answers.
Maple: That’s why I called you. If we make a move, they’ll run. We can’t take both of them at once so, how do you want to play this?
Lightning: Hmm. Engage the politician. I’ll go after Project A guy. We’ll meet back at the studio in a week to debrief.
Maple: Alright LM, good luck to you. I’ll start this show though.
Maple Steel would run towards a crowd of thugs who were standing by. Maple would attack with a flurry of punches and kicks to knockout the thugs. Meanwhile Lightning Man would sprint towards one of the car’s and when he gets to the driver side window, he would punch the window out and see the man. To his surprise, it is the man who evaded authorities before, known only to Lightning, as the Yellowjacket man.
Lightning: You?!
The man doesn’t respond and instead puts his car in reverse while Lightning Man’s arm is still in the car trying to stop the Yellowjacket, but the man swerves his car in a desperate attempt to get Lightning out of his vehicle, to no avail.
Lightning: Stop this car right now! You blasted- OHHHH!
In a final act of desperation, the man drives close to a shipping container. So close that Lightning had to remove himself from the car to avoid injury.
After recovering from rolling out of the car, Lightning Man then uses his grapple gun to attach itself to the trunk of the fleeing car, and then hangs on as the car speeds away with Lightning in tow.
Meanwhile as Lightning Man flies away, Maple Steel is finishing up his combat with the thugs. After a roundhouse kick to finish the last foe, he stomps his way over to the remaining car to confront the man inside.
Maple: Alright guy, it’s time for you to face justice!
Maple grabs the door handle which is surprisingly unlocked and when he opens the door, there is nobody there.
Maple: What? Wha-How? How is that possible?! There were two! What?
Maple looks inside the car to see if anybody was hiding in there. However there was nobody. He roughed up the driver seat to see if there was an escape hatch. Nothing. He even pried open the trunk to see if maybe someone was inside there. No.
Maple: I don’t understand, it’s not like there wasn’t a second person. I SAW this car pull up here.
Then rapid clicking is heard nearby as Maple looks up and see’s a Tanuki skull staring over him on the other side of the car. Maple stares at it cautiously, before the skull is dropped and falls and breaks on the pavement. As the animal skull was dropped, Maple saw a hand and followed it to see the red eye’d man stare at him before we cut back to Lightning Man.
As the Yellowjacket man continues to drive recklessly, Lightning Man attempted to reel himself closer but it was getting more dangerous to do so.
Lightning: Gaaah! Alright, this will have to do!
Lightning would reach to his belt and acquire a tracker bug. He aimed for the trunk and threw his device to the car. The attachment was successful and Lightning looked up at the driver mirror.
Lightning: You’ll get away today, but you can’t escape justice.
Lightning then unhooked his grappling hook and then was flown at a high speed into a store shop. Lightning groaned as he struggled to get himself up, watching the Yellowjacket man drive away at a high speed. The store's alarm goes off as Lightning walks out of the store wiping off glass on his shoulder.
Lightning: Ah, damn.
Lightning reaches behind his back and pulls out a wallet and checks it, pulls out a couple of bills and puts it on a table.
Lightning: I hope this covers the damages.
Lightning then presses his ear to communicate with Maple Steel
Lightning: Hey Maple, that blasted Yellowjacket got away, but I’ve got him tracked. He won’t escape next time. I bet you got the other guy huh?
There was no response by Maple Steel
Lightning: Maple? Are you there?
There was no response again, and this time Lightning gets more panicked.
Lightning: Barry? Barry, are you there? Answer me please!
Maple: static Oh…. Hello? What’s up?
Lightning: What happened? I’ve been calling you. Did you get that bastard?
Maple: Uh… No. He disappeared.
Lightning: What do you mean “he disappeared”?
Maple: He’s… Not here. I have no idea where or how he escaped. But he’s not here.
Lightning: I think we’ve had a rough night Barry, get out of where you are, go home to your wife. I’ll debrief with Akria later. Go rest.
Maple: Yeah… I’ll get outta here. Till our next adventure… See you in the studio Clifford.
Lightning Man would sigh as the sirens of nearby police started screaming down the street. He would shoot his grapple gun up and retract it up to be on the rooftop before the police arrived. Lightning would take his mask off and wipe the sweat off his eyes.
Clifford: Theres something big going on… I can only hope that someone in Ultimate Wrestling is responsible, that’ll put an end to this investigation swiftly. Because its not like Barry to just go silent, or ask for help, and this being the result. This… is truly troubling.
Storm clouds would be forming near Clifford as he pondered about what is next to do. The scene then fades to black
