Hunted

Story One: The Fall of Deathskull

¨Mr President, one of the TWT team leaders on the phone.¨

¨Put him through,¨ said the president as he picked up the phone. The employee nodded and shut the door. Seconds later, a voice bore through his eardrum.

¨Hello, Mr President.¨ It was Corva, sending a shiver down the president's spine. He closed his eyes and prepared.

¨What is it, Corva?¨

¨The end of humanity.¨

¨What are you talking about?¨

¨Someone we have faced before,¨ the voice rang. President Rivera could've sworn he heard a hint of fear in it.

¨Do you mean...¨ he began, trailing off. It'd been a while since he'd spoken the name out loud and hoped he never would again.

¨Deathskull.¨

The president checked the watch around his wrist. ¨Come to the White House at midnight.¨

Corva ended the call without answer.

At twelve o'clock precisely Corva knocked on the office door of the White House.

¨Open it,¨ the president instructed one of his bodyguards. He obeyed without hesitation and revealed an unusual appearance. It wasn't as much the black t-shirt tucked in his cargo pants tightened around his waist with a belt but the black hockey mask covering his face and rectangle shaped shield able to transform into a drone, connected with a chip in his head, able to perform any command. The shield itself displayed, in glossy black paint, the outline of a crow, its wings spread.

The president wasted no time. ¨Tell me what happened.¨

¨I received a phone call from Deathskull. He said that he'll leak a virus into the drinking water to assure that 99.9% of humanity will go extinct,¨ Corva stated. He sounded defeated.

¨Did he tell you which water treatment company?¨ It was a long shot but he had to ask.

¨No, and I don't know where he is,¨ Corva answered. President Rivera frowned.

¨Give me your phone. My team will track the number down,¨ he said, extending his hand. Corva took his phone from his pocket and gave it to him. Rivera placed it on his desk and returned his gaze to Corva.

¨I want you to patrol the largest water treatment company in Washington after we traced the number. It's called Aqua pure.¨

¨Yes, sir,¨ Corva said.

Five minutes later, Corva and the president were sitting at the desk when two men came in, returning the phone.

¨Where did the call come from?¨ Rivera queried eagerly.

¨It didn't come from Washington, it came from Chicago,¨ one of his men replied.

¨Okay, that's all we need to know for now, back to work,¨ he said and they saluted. Once they were out, Corva tilted his head slightly.

¨What's your plan?¨ Corva inquired.

¨I am going to send you and my team to Chicago.¨

一

The next day Corva drove to the Washington military base on his Ducati 78', the gates opening as he arrived. He spotted the airplane and hit the gas, sweeping past the group of ten in bullet proof vests. With the cargo door open, he drove his motorcycle right onto the plane, the men following slowly. As the door shut, darkness emerged, the only light originating from a few lanterns. Once they were in the air, one of the men turned his head towards Corva and asked, ¨Who do you work for?¨