Post by tjkernan on Dec 21, 2011 15:56:21 GMT -5
Ultimate WildC.A.T.S. Annual 2011
"Tales of the Manhunter"
TJKernan
3 Years Ago
Mark Shaw looked out the side of the plane. Water, and lots of it. Nothing but ocean below. Not one for tranquility, Shaw instead turned his attention elsewhere. He pushed the button on his MP3 player, content with the current selection of song, ‘Two Worlds apart’ by Burnthe8track. He picked up the dossier from inside his leather bag, opening it with one hand while he picked up his glass of bourbon with the other.
Her name was Mary Beth Stone. She was a government operative, recruited right out of high school, where she had been an all-state track champion. She proved an excellent marksman and within a couple of years had moved to a field operative, specializing in South East Asia missions. During her first five years there she became a top field agent within the region.
Then tragedy struck. Mary stepped on a land mine. Amazingly, she survived the experience, though her body was badly damaged, including the loss of both her legs, and some horrible disfigurement of her torso and face. The government didn’t want to lose one of their talented operatives, and Mary had no desire to continue living in her painful and disfigured form. Mary agreed to an experimental transplantation, performed by military contractor Necrodyne Industries. Mary’s brain and conscience were transplanted into a new cybernetic body, the exterior comprised primarily of specially designed plastics.
At first, Mary seemed to be accepting the transition smoothly. Once she, and her superiors, felt she was ready to return to field work, she returned to her job in South East Asia. Her new form prevented her from performing certain old aspects of her job, but opened greater opportunities leading missions in the field. She also excelled in black bag operations, where her superior form and cybernetic senses made her a highly-prized soldier and killer.
Something went horribly wrong. Mary snapped. She disappeared for weeks at a time. Soon, she didn’t return at all. Then operatives started disappearing in Cambodia and Vietnam. Secret operatives in the field, whose identities were privy to only the highest ranking operatives in the area. Safehouses in Ta Khmau and Pailin were raided and destroyed. All evidence led to the cybernetic Mary, now dubbed Death Doll by the remaining South East Asia agents.
Death Doll was compromising delicate operations in the field, and that was deemed unacceptable by the United States Government. First, they had sent an SEAL hit squad to take her out permanently. The pieces that were left of them were discovered neatly piled in a van in front of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh three days later.
That was when government was forced to turn to General Michael Martens and his new, and controversial, Manhunter Project. They were mindful that this fledgling initiative probably wasn’t ready for such a delicate mission, but keening aware that Martens had recruited some of the best, if somewhat problematic agents working for the government. This was obviously a case for someone unconventional, yet highly skilled. With his exemplary rate of success, Agent Mark Shaw was chosen for the mission.
----
Shaw’s plane landed on a small strip on the outskirts of the Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh. As he exited the blame, he noticed a woman standing on the ground waiting for him. Mark recognized her by her pale complexion, long auburn hair, and the dark sunglasses, which he suspected she only took off when she was sleeping. She was his contact, and fellow agent, Lindy Cho, better known by her codename Chimera.
“Hello Mark,” said Lindy, smiling, as her fellow agent walked in her direction, “Seems they wanted only the best of the best on this operation. How is my favorite little Manhunter today?”
Mark kissed Lindy on the cheek, as two began to walk down the tarmac.
"I wish,” said Mark, “you and I could meet under more...charming...circumstances. You still owe me for that bet you lost in Sidney. Dinner and dancing, I believe was the deal. But, alas, that is for another day for busy little beavers like us. What is the status on Death-Doll? Do we know where she is right now?”
Eve looked as though she was going to say something personal, but then returned to a strictly business demeanor, “She was spotted by an agent at Choeung Ek just three days ago, heading south. The agent tried to follow her but couldn’t keep track. There is a suspicion that an Onslaught Cell is operating down there, and we have a number of operatives trying to divulge the location. I guess it is too much wishful thinking to hope she is looking to take out the Cell.”
“Sure looks like it,” responded Mark, “I don’t think she has any interest in killing ‘enemies’ at this point, only ‘allies’. Guess it isn’t a good idea to have your brain transplanted into a gigantic Barbie body full of wires. And here I thought it sounded like a smart move...”
“Cute,” said Lindy, giving Mark a cynical look, “but I don’t think Mary Stone is the only person to blame in this situation either. The whole project was experimental at best, and they seemed to rush into it, rush her through it, and shove her back into the field...”
Mark snickered, “Kind of like what they are doing with this whole ‘Manhunter’ project thing...”
Lindy rolled her eyes, “Don’t even get me started on how I feel about that whole situation. When I was offered a chance to be part of a new agency with Sasha and Rick...and you...I jumped at the chance. Then I find out we are going to be relying on crazies and criminals in the field to watch our back. Doesn’t that seem insane to you?”
Mark shrugged, “Insane? I don’t know if I would go that far. I can see the practical applications from the military standpoint. You don’t have to train them as you would new recruits, many are skilled at fighting. You don’t have to pay them. Best of all, they are expendable, so if you lose a few doing your dirty deals, then there is no harm done. Do I like the idea? Not really. Do I think there is a potential for some serious trouble? Certainly. But look at what else the government is doing to get the edge. The other options, as we have now seen with Death-Doll, aren’t working out that great for them either...
Lindy nodded, “You certainly have a point in this case. Shall we go?”
Mark nodded. Lindy grabbed his hand, then activated her power. Energy crackled in the air as an energy portal large enough for a human to walk through appeared directly in front of the two. Mark Shaw stepped through first, followed by Lindy. The second she stepped inside, the portal closed behind them.
----
Lindy treated Mark to a meal and some more information about the area they were heading into. His hunger sated, Mark donned his costume and mask, and collected his assortment of weapons, and was ready to venture out and find Death-Doll, hopefully before she had a chance to kill anyone else.
Lindy opened a portal, this time transporting them just outside a small village known as Sre Tani, on the Mekong River, barely fifteen miles from the Vietnam border. As soon as Shaw stepped out of the teleportation energy, he found himself overwhelmed with the stench of smoke and death. Everywhere Mark looked the village was on fire. No building in the entire village appeared to be unscathed by the rising flames of red and yellow. He could see bodies on the ground. Some were missing limbs. Men, women, and children, many lying in sizable pools of crimson.
“My god...” said Lindy as she stepped through the energy circle.
“Yeah,” said Shaw, surveying the area, “it would appear that Death-Doll is no longer discriminatory in her choice of targets. She is killing everyone and everything in her path. You need to go back and get some help in here. Let the authorities know what is going on...”
Chimera frowned, “You want me to leave you alone? Are you sure...”
Mark briefly turned his metal-masked face towards Lindy, “I will be fine. I need to track this maniac down. If I find her she is going to find me a much tougher opponent than a bunch of helpless women, elderly, and children...”
Chimera didn’t say another word, she simply nodded in acknowledgment, and stepped back through her teleportation energy.
Mark Shaw began to circle around the outskirts of the burning village. Judging by the swiftness of the flaming consumption of the village buildings, the fire couldn’t have been set that long ago. Soon, this entire village would be erased off the map of existence, nothing left but a smoldering pile of ashes and charred ground. Mark saw a pair of bodies nearby and moved close to inspect them. They were a teenage boy and a woman in her early twenties. Their bodies were broken from severe physical beatings. The boy had a bullet wound in his head. This had been a systematic massacre of everyone. Mark had to assume it was madness that consumed Death-Doll now, because she was continually progress to more and more gross and heinous crimes. These people had not been part of the government that had left her an amalgamation of plastic and steel. Mark could at least understand that anger and motivation. Nor were they part of any mission she had been given.
No, this was demented sickness.
Mark bent low to examine a pair of footprints on the outskirts of the burning village. These led into the forest, along a dirt path. He placed his hand into the print on the ground. One person, with a fairly small, but heavy print. Heavy enough to be a non-human, but instead someone of plastic and metal. Judging by the space between the prints, the person was running. Mark would have to do the same if he wanted to ever catch up with her.
Mark began to move swiftly down the dirt path. It was narrow, but basically free of debris, so Mark made very good time. The path wound down through the forest, frequently opening in empty spots along the river. As Mark ran, he saw glimpses of creatures on the outskirts of the path. Snakes in the trees, and small furry things scurrying in and out of the wooded shadows.
Mark heard something stirring ahead of him, and slowed his progression to a stealthful and cautious pace. He moved to the edge of one of those clearings by the river, and finally saw the form of Death-Doll. She was a couple dozen yards away, near the river. She was staring right at him.
“I don’t know,” said Death-Doll, “who you think you are, but if you were trying to sneak up upon me, you failed miserably. My motion detectors picked up a while back, and my heightened hearing has been keeping an eye on you as well...”
“Why,” said Mark Shaw, curious, “did you murder than entire village? Those people did nothing to you...”
Mark watched Death-Doll’s hand. Both were at her sides, but he suspected she could move with lightning speed. He had to be ready for her attack.
“Those people were nothing to me. I don’t care about those worthless skinbags. They were weak. All humans are weak. I did them a favor.
Now, I will do you one as well...”
Death-Doll’s hands flew up quickly. A laser from each hand blasted through the air, striking the place where Shaw’s chest had been just moments before. Shaw himself had dodged and was now crouched low to the ground, preparing for his counter-strike. He fired a blast of energy from his baton, but was off-target as he was dodging Death-Doll’s blast. The shot was easily avoided by her.
A long blade sprung from the left wrist of Death-Doll, while she began to quickly move forward towards Shaw. With her right hand she fired another laser blast. This one struck, but Mark’s armor held, protecting his heart from a fatal laser surgery.
Shaw reacted quickly, pulling a large metal disc from his belt and hurling it straight towards the approaching Death-Doll. The cyborg saw the item coming at her, and dodged to the side to easily avoid it. She was shocked when the item changed path, and latched onto her like a magnet. The disc attached to her chest, held by a magnet attracted to all the metal wiring inside of her form. Seconds later, the disc exploded, propelling Death-Doll through the air backwards.
Shaw shielded himself from the bits of plastic and metal shrapnel that flew with the explosion. He rose to his feet as he watched the smoking body of Death-Doll hit the ground. Special plastic or not, the compound was no match for the explosives, and she now had a huge gaping hole in her chest, smoldering and crackling with energy from frayed wiring inside her chest. She didn’t move.
Shaw aimed his baton blaster at her, and began to move towards the lifeless form. The only sound were the crackling of energy from her chest. He was within a handful of yards when she began to move. Shaw watched as she tried to pull herself off the ground.
“Man,” said Death-Doll, having a tough time standing, “this seems to keep happening to me. Always ripped open and thrashed. Guess I deserved it this time...”
For a brief moment, Mark felt sorry for the woman, and stopped himself from terminating her with another blast. She took advantage of the situation and lunged towards him, with all that was left of her energy. Her blade struck the armor of his helmet. Before she could make another attack, Mark used a judo-style throw to hurl the cyborg over his shoulder, and into the river behind him.
Death-Doll plunged into the water. The liquid flowed into her open chest wound, reacting with the electricity and cut wiring. The female cyborg screamed, and then stopped moving, carried down the river by the current.
----
A short-time later, Mark watched as people from nearby villages gathered around what was left of Sri Tani. Several areas were still to hot to approach, but the villagers had begun to retrieve and identify the corpses they could recover so far. Mark had counted over a dozen.
Mark felt the air crackle with energy, as Chimera appeared in the spot she had originally teleported to when they had first entered the village.
Lindy shook her head as she walked towards Mark, surveying the damage of the burnt village, “We recovered Death-Doll’s body, stuck on a cropping of rocks in the river. No signs of life, she appears to be deactivated. They are going to fly her back to the United States for examination. On your plane with you. Guess it is your lucky day...”
“Yeah,” said Mark Shaw, watching as another charred body was carried from the destroyed village, sarcasm dripping from his tongue, “what a lucky day indeed...”
"Tales of the Manhunter"
TJKernan
3 Years Ago
Mark Shaw looked out the side of the plane. Water, and lots of it. Nothing but ocean below. Not one for tranquility, Shaw instead turned his attention elsewhere. He pushed the button on his MP3 player, content with the current selection of song, ‘Two Worlds apart’ by Burnthe8track. He picked up the dossier from inside his leather bag, opening it with one hand while he picked up his glass of bourbon with the other.
Her name was Mary Beth Stone. She was a government operative, recruited right out of high school, where she had been an all-state track champion. She proved an excellent marksman and within a couple of years had moved to a field operative, specializing in South East Asia missions. During her first five years there she became a top field agent within the region.
Then tragedy struck. Mary stepped on a land mine. Amazingly, she survived the experience, though her body was badly damaged, including the loss of both her legs, and some horrible disfigurement of her torso and face. The government didn’t want to lose one of their talented operatives, and Mary had no desire to continue living in her painful and disfigured form. Mary agreed to an experimental transplantation, performed by military contractor Necrodyne Industries. Mary’s brain and conscience were transplanted into a new cybernetic body, the exterior comprised primarily of specially designed plastics.
At first, Mary seemed to be accepting the transition smoothly. Once she, and her superiors, felt she was ready to return to field work, she returned to her job in South East Asia. Her new form prevented her from performing certain old aspects of her job, but opened greater opportunities leading missions in the field. She also excelled in black bag operations, where her superior form and cybernetic senses made her a highly-prized soldier and killer.
Something went horribly wrong. Mary snapped. She disappeared for weeks at a time. Soon, she didn’t return at all. Then operatives started disappearing in Cambodia and Vietnam. Secret operatives in the field, whose identities were privy to only the highest ranking operatives in the area. Safehouses in Ta Khmau and Pailin were raided and destroyed. All evidence led to the cybernetic Mary, now dubbed Death Doll by the remaining South East Asia agents.
Death Doll was compromising delicate operations in the field, and that was deemed unacceptable by the United States Government. First, they had sent an SEAL hit squad to take her out permanently. The pieces that were left of them were discovered neatly piled in a van in front of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh three days later.
That was when government was forced to turn to General Michael Martens and his new, and controversial, Manhunter Project. They were mindful that this fledgling initiative probably wasn’t ready for such a delicate mission, but keening aware that Martens had recruited some of the best, if somewhat problematic agents working for the government. This was obviously a case for someone unconventional, yet highly skilled. With his exemplary rate of success, Agent Mark Shaw was chosen for the mission.
----
Shaw’s plane landed on a small strip on the outskirts of the Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh. As he exited the blame, he noticed a woman standing on the ground waiting for him. Mark recognized her by her pale complexion, long auburn hair, and the dark sunglasses, which he suspected she only took off when she was sleeping. She was his contact, and fellow agent, Lindy Cho, better known by her codename Chimera.
“Hello Mark,” said Lindy, smiling, as her fellow agent walked in her direction, “Seems they wanted only the best of the best on this operation. How is my favorite little Manhunter today?”
Mark kissed Lindy on the cheek, as two began to walk down the tarmac.
"I wish,” said Mark, “you and I could meet under more...charming...circumstances. You still owe me for that bet you lost in Sidney. Dinner and dancing, I believe was the deal. But, alas, that is for another day for busy little beavers like us. What is the status on Death-Doll? Do we know where she is right now?”
Eve looked as though she was going to say something personal, but then returned to a strictly business demeanor, “She was spotted by an agent at Choeung Ek just three days ago, heading south. The agent tried to follow her but couldn’t keep track. There is a suspicion that an Onslaught Cell is operating down there, and we have a number of operatives trying to divulge the location. I guess it is too much wishful thinking to hope she is looking to take out the Cell.”
“Sure looks like it,” responded Mark, “I don’t think she has any interest in killing ‘enemies’ at this point, only ‘allies’. Guess it isn’t a good idea to have your brain transplanted into a gigantic Barbie body full of wires. And here I thought it sounded like a smart move...”
“Cute,” said Lindy, giving Mark a cynical look, “but I don’t think Mary Stone is the only person to blame in this situation either. The whole project was experimental at best, and they seemed to rush into it, rush her through it, and shove her back into the field...”
Mark snickered, “Kind of like what they are doing with this whole ‘Manhunter’ project thing...”
Lindy rolled her eyes, “Don’t even get me started on how I feel about that whole situation. When I was offered a chance to be part of a new agency with Sasha and Rick...and you...I jumped at the chance. Then I find out we are going to be relying on crazies and criminals in the field to watch our back. Doesn’t that seem insane to you?”
Mark shrugged, “Insane? I don’t know if I would go that far. I can see the practical applications from the military standpoint. You don’t have to train them as you would new recruits, many are skilled at fighting. You don’t have to pay them. Best of all, they are expendable, so if you lose a few doing your dirty deals, then there is no harm done. Do I like the idea? Not really. Do I think there is a potential for some serious trouble? Certainly. But look at what else the government is doing to get the edge. The other options, as we have now seen with Death-Doll, aren’t working out that great for them either...
Lindy nodded, “You certainly have a point in this case. Shall we go?”
Mark nodded. Lindy grabbed his hand, then activated her power. Energy crackled in the air as an energy portal large enough for a human to walk through appeared directly in front of the two. Mark Shaw stepped through first, followed by Lindy. The second she stepped inside, the portal closed behind them.
----
Lindy treated Mark to a meal and some more information about the area they were heading into. His hunger sated, Mark donned his costume and mask, and collected his assortment of weapons, and was ready to venture out and find Death-Doll, hopefully before she had a chance to kill anyone else.
Lindy opened a portal, this time transporting them just outside a small village known as Sre Tani, on the Mekong River, barely fifteen miles from the Vietnam border. As soon as Shaw stepped out of the teleportation energy, he found himself overwhelmed with the stench of smoke and death. Everywhere Mark looked the village was on fire. No building in the entire village appeared to be unscathed by the rising flames of red and yellow. He could see bodies on the ground. Some were missing limbs. Men, women, and children, many lying in sizable pools of crimson.
“My god...” said Lindy as she stepped through the energy circle.
“Yeah,” said Shaw, surveying the area, “it would appear that Death-Doll is no longer discriminatory in her choice of targets. She is killing everyone and everything in her path. You need to go back and get some help in here. Let the authorities know what is going on...”
Chimera frowned, “You want me to leave you alone? Are you sure...”
Mark briefly turned his metal-masked face towards Lindy, “I will be fine. I need to track this maniac down. If I find her she is going to find me a much tougher opponent than a bunch of helpless women, elderly, and children...”
Chimera didn’t say another word, she simply nodded in acknowledgment, and stepped back through her teleportation energy.
Mark Shaw began to circle around the outskirts of the burning village. Judging by the swiftness of the flaming consumption of the village buildings, the fire couldn’t have been set that long ago. Soon, this entire village would be erased off the map of existence, nothing left but a smoldering pile of ashes and charred ground. Mark saw a pair of bodies nearby and moved close to inspect them. They were a teenage boy and a woman in her early twenties. Their bodies were broken from severe physical beatings. The boy had a bullet wound in his head. This had been a systematic massacre of everyone. Mark had to assume it was madness that consumed Death-Doll now, because she was continually progress to more and more gross and heinous crimes. These people had not been part of the government that had left her an amalgamation of plastic and steel. Mark could at least understand that anger and motivation. Nor were they part of any mission she had been given.
No, this was demented sickness.
Mark bent low to examine a pair of footprints on the outskirts of the burning village. These led into the forest, along a dirt path. He placed his hand into the print on the ground. One person, with a fairly small, but heavy print. Heavy enough to be a non-human, but instead someone of plastic and metal. Judging by the space between the prints, the person was running. Mark would have to do the same if he wanted to ever catch up with her.
Mark began to move swiftly down the dirt path. It was narrow, but basically free of debris, so Mark made very good time. The path wound down through the forest, frequently opening in empty spots along the river. As Mark ran, he saw glimpses of creatures on the outskirts of the path. Snakes in the trees, and small furry things scurrying in and out of the wooded shadows.
Mark heard something stirring ahead of him, and slowed his progression to a stealthful and cautious pace. He moved to the edge of one of those clearings by the river, and finally saw the form of Death-Doll. She was a couple dozen yards away, near the river. She was staring right at him.
“I don’t know,” said Death-Doll, “who you think you are, but if you were trying to sneak up upon me, you failed miserably. My motion detectors picked up a while back, and my heightened hearing has been keeping an eye on you as well...”
“Why,” said Mark Shaw, curious, “did you murder than entire village? Those people did nothing to you...”
Mark watched Death-Doll’s hand. Both were at her sides, but he suspected she could move with lightning speed. He had to be ready for her attack.
“Those people were nothing to me. I don’t care about those worthless skinbags. They were weak. All humans are weak. I did them a favor.
Now, I will do you one as well...”
Death-Doll’s hands flew up quickly. A laser from each hand blasted through the air, striking the place where Shaw’s chest had been just moments before. Shaw himself had dodged and was now crouched low to the ground, preparing for his counter-strike. He fired a blast of energy from his baton, but was off-target as he was dodging Death-Doll’s blast. The shot was easily avoided by her.
A long blade sprung from the left wrist of Death-Doll, while she began to quickly move forward towards Shaw. With her right hand she fired another laser blast. This one struck, but Mark’s armor held, protecting his heart from a fatal laser surgery.
Shaw reacted quickly, pulling a large metal disc from his belt and hurling it straight towards the approaching Death-Doll. The cyborg saw the item coming at her, and dodged to the side to easily avoid it. She was shocked when the item changed path, and latched onto her like a magnet. The disc attached to her chest, held by a magnet attracted to all the metal wiring inside of her form. Seconds later, the disc exploded, propelling Death-Doll through the air backwards.
Shaw shielded himself from the bits of plastic and metal shrapnel that flew with the explosion. He rose to his feet as he watched the smoking body of Death-Doll hit the ground. Special plastic or not, the compound was no match for the explosives, and she now had a huge gaping hole in her chest, smoldering and crackling with energy from frayed wiring inside her chest. She didn’t move.
Shaw aimed his baton blaster at her, and began to move towards the lifeless form. The only sound were the crackling of energy from her chest. He was within a handful of yards when she began to move. Shaw watched as she tried to pull herself off the ground.
“Man,” said Death-Doll, having a tough time standing, “this seems to keep happening to me. Always ripped open and thrashed. Guess I deserved it this time...”
For a brief moment, Mark felt sorry for the woman, and stopped himself from terminating her with another blast. She took advantage of the situation and lunged towards him, with all that was left of her energy. Her blade struck the armor of his helmet. Before she could make another attack, Mark used a judo-style throw to hurl the cyborg over his shoulder, and into the river behind him.
Death-Doll plunged into the water. The liquid flowed into her open chest wound, reacting with the electricity and cut wiring. The female cyborg screamed, and then stopped moving, carried down the river by the current.
----
A short-time later, Mark watched as people from nearby villages gathered around what was left of Sri Tani. Several areas were still to hot to approach, but the villagers had begun to retrieve and identify the corpses they could recover so far. Mark had counted over a dozen.
Mark felt the air crackle with energy, as Chimera appeared in the spot she had originally teleported to when they had first entered the village.
Lindy shook her head as she walked towards Mark, surveying the damage of the burnt village, “We recovered Death-Doll’s body, stuck on a cropping of rocks in the river. No signs of life, she appears to be deactivated. They are going to fly her back to the United States for examination. On your plane with you. Guess it is your lucky day...”
“Yeah,” said Mark Shaw, watching as another charred body was carried from the destroyed village, sarcasm dripping from his tongue, “what a lucky day indeed...”