The Adventures of Kolt Lightning: The Beginning

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

                Kolt Lightning bolted out of bed.  The alarm bell had begun to ring throughout the entire complex, Sanderson Omega.  He dressed quickly, getting ready for whatever the bell might mean.

                He locked his compartment on his way out.  Kolt jogged through the corridor hallways on his way to the command center.  He dodged people on their way to the emergency bunker.

                “Go get ‘em, Kolt!” and “Fast as Lightning” and “Kolt to the rescue” were calls that he heard as he ran through the hallways.  He tried to nod to as many of them as he possibly could.  He tried to high five as many little kids as he went by.  He wanted them to understand that he was ‘their hero’.  He would even stop to sign autographs for the little ones, if the emergency bell wasn’t ringing.

                A smile spread across Kolt’s face.  Everything was so real for him.  And he was loving every moment of being a superhero.

                  The medical team had tried to explain to him who he really was, but all he knew was Kolt Lightning.  He couldn’t recall anyone named Crew or anything from the live the doctors kept telling him he had to go back to.  He was Kolt Lightning.  And he was determined to reign over all evil in the galaxy.  He would protect those who were innocent against those who were bad.  He would protect Sanderson Omega from “The Family”.

                He smiled brightly as people called him Kolt Lightning.  He loved everything about the person that he had become.

                He jogged into the command center and could see all the people scurrying about.  Everyone had a piece of paper or something in their hands.  They were running to and fro trying to deliver messages to the right person.  Some people actually ran smack into each other.

                Kolt shook his head slightly at the chaos, and then started to move.  He walked to his right and stuck as close to the wall as he possibly could.  He didn’t want to run into any of the chaos.

                He came to a set of double doors and opened it.  He stepped inside a familiar corridor and kept walking.  He paused at his Mother’s old office door.  He touched the door and stood silent in reflection for a few moments.  Even after the six months that had passed, no one had any plans to change this office.

                Kolt sighed and walked further down the hallway.  He opened a door halfway down the entire corridor and stepped inside.

                Inside was a conference room filled with more people.  General Major Bridge was present along with all the other high ranking officers in the complex.  They were all seated at the enormous oak table in the center of the room.  Kolt walked cautiously and slowly over to his seat at the table.

                “Gentlemen,” acknowledged Kolt as he sat down.

                “Kolt,” came the chorus of replies.

                Kolt looked around the room at the faces of all the Generals.  He paused a few moments to look at each of them.  Then he started, “Why the alarm, Gentlemen?”

                “Well,” started a man halfway down the table.  “We received a letter.”

                “A letter?” asked Kolt skeptically.  He shook his head at the man that he did not recognize.  “And that put the whole complex into a lockdown?”

                “Not exactly,” said Bridge.  “But, let’s just take this one step at a time, Kolt.”

                “Okay, agreed.”  Kolt nodded.  “What do we take on first, then?”

                Bridge started to take over the meeting.  “Gentlemen, there is a copy of the letter for each of you in the envelope in front of you.”

                Everyone opened up the envelope, pulled it out, and began to read it.

Sanderson Omega,

The family will reign over all.  Turn over ‘Kolt Lightning’ and we will return what is missing to you.  There will be NO negotiations.  And this is a final offer.  The family will remain in hiding until you reach a settlement.  But, no matter what, WE WILL PREVAIL.

THE FAMILY

----In case you don’t know what’s missing, check the following IP Address: 34.7.623.18.35.27.2994

                Kolt sighed.  “So, my father is finally issuing his threat.  That is hardly big news after all this time.”

                “Yes,” replied Bridge cautiously.  He ventured no further with speech.  He stared at Kolt.

                Kolt got jumpy from Bridge’s stare, so he decided to speak.  “And just what exactly has he stolen?”  Silence echoed across the room.  So Kolt tried again.   “Has anyone actually looked at the IP address?”

                “Pull it up,” said Bridge.  A techie, that had been seated in the corner of the room, did just as he asked.  And everyone froze at the image on the screen.

                A teenage girl was roped to a chair.  Her face was masked, but her braided hair stuck out from the mask and cascaded over her shoulder.  Her mouth was gagged because she was trying to shout.  But only muffled sounds were getting through the fabric.  She was dressed in black cargo pants with a long gray sleeved shirt.  And Kolt could just make out the color red around her collar and sleeves.

                “RYDER?!?” he gasped.

                Bridge nodded to confirm.  “Ryder has been taken.”

                Kolt sighed a deep, frustrated sigh.  He brought his hands up to block his face.  He didn’t want anyone in the room to see the emotions on his face.  He was scared, sad, nervous, frightened, pissed off, and worried.  He took a moment to settle himself down.

                He put on his best look of determination and uncovered his face.  “Gentlemen,” he said, finally speaking.  “Let’s get to work.”

THE END