Questions

Michael sat back in his chair, looking at his screens. He was pretty sure one of the camera had caught an image of his daughter, but he wasn't quite sure how that was possible. He ran the fort data once more to make sure that he hadn't missed anything. There was nothing that showed anyone leaving or entering the fort.

Michael rose, knowing that there was only one way to be sure. As he checked the doors, the physical markers showed that one had been opened multiple times. He knew now that Karen had found a way to beat the computer system.

Looking into her room, he saw her reading and quietly shut the door. He returned to his chair, unsure of what to do next. He understood the urge to get out and explore, but the world was a very dangerous place, especially now. He had built the fort to keep her safe, and couldn't do that if she was leaving it.

As he sat there thinking, something on one of the screens caught his eye. He picked up the controller and enhanced the image one of Dayspring's cameras had picked up. He couldn't believe it, but the image was unmistakable. Someone was running down a street wearing a Redline costume!

He ran to his room and grabbed a few items, slipping into some dark clothing. He had to find this person before the Watchmen caught and killed them. He stopped at Karen's room and walked in, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I have to go out to find something. I want you to stay in your room while I'm gone, okay?"

Karen nodded, and he turned to leave the room. Before he reached the door, he turned back to her.

"When I get back, we need to talk about something."

She nodded again and he stepped out of the room, worried that something would happen to her while he was gone. He knew that he couldn't let someone run around town dressed like him. He knew all too well just how much pain that could bring. He locked down the fort, then ran off into the night to find this new Redline.

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Well, look at this... I'm posting on time again! Now I just need to continue to post on time. I can't do it alone, though! If you have ideas for where the story should go next, let me know by Thursday. The next section will be posted next Saturday.

Until Next Time,

Your Fearless Writer,

C. R. Hopkins

Relocation

When Karen got to the Justice Force's hideout the next night, everyone was rushing around, filling two trucks near the exit. Karen quickly found Dean and looked at him quizzically.

"We're packing up, Spirit. We're moving. Wings was captured by the Watchmen. They could be here anytime."

__________________

Wings screamed as the burning liquid flowed through his veins. He hoped his body would just give out, but they kept healing him after every session. He wasn't sure how long he had been here, but it must have been two weeks at least.

He knew they would be bringing the mind-flayer soon, but he had to hold out, in order to save the largest number of people. He was sure that the Force had left on the day of his capture, but there might be some that were away from the hideout. As his body was being stitched together by the serum, he saw one of his interrogators walking toward him with a flayer.

The flayer was a machine with organic tentacles that stripped secrets from one's mind. Flayers were extremely difficult to make, and each had only one use, due to the energy conversion process they used to steal the mind's secrets. He felt it grip his head, then a sensation of his head being torn open, then nothing at all.

________________________

Mayor von Haast walked toward the door of the time sphere, anxious to hear the results after the hour-long interrogation. The two interrogators slowly stepped out of the sphere, trying to adjust back to the normal flow of time.

The mayor wasn't in a mood to wait for them to fully adjust. "Well, where are they?"

The lead interrogator shuffled his feet slightly. "We weren't able to get a location."

The mayor's face turned red with rage. "Why not?"

"We applied the mind-flayer too soon. It killed the subject before it could get deep enough into his mind."

"I see." The mayor tapped his cane on the ground, releasing a dark bolt of energy into the two interrogators, turning them to ash instantly. The mayor quickly exited the room to prepare his next move.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apologies for the delay again. I ended up getting frustrated after what I originally wrote got erased, and I needed a bit of a push to write this portion again. Let me know where to take the next section by Thursday, and I will definitely have the next section up on Saturday.

Until Saturday,

Your Fearless Writer,

C. R. Hopkins

Preparation

Hello again. I'm dreadfully sorry about the delay on the story, but I have a computer now, so we can get back on schedule. To those who have been checking back to see if new parts have been posted, I appreciate it very much. We now return to the interactive story, already in progress...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The stone fort had been abandoned for years, and was rarely visited now, which made it a perfect place for training. Karen watched the person training with the new Redline suit, thinking that it just seemed wrong, seeing someone in that suit. She had found it and saved it when her father had destroyed the rest of his Redline suits.

She thought back to when she brought the rest of the suit to Tweak. He had been shocked at the innovations in the suit, comparing it to the Guardian suits. He had added a few tricks to the suit, as well as a self-sealing mask. All that had been left was to test it out, which Kare had to watch, since she had brought the suit to them in the first place.

________________

Troy Nolinge glided through the streets effortlessly, preparing for what was to come. His part in this was still secret at this point, but he knew it could always be brought to light.

He wasn't really worried about that, because he had prepared for such a possibility. Everything he was most concerned about was under the guard of those he knew could watch them closely. Any and all disturbances would be brought to his attention immediately.

Troy smiled wolfishly. Things were heading toward a major event, and he always liked to be right in the center of them, and often was. He could feel the storm brewing, and drew on its power. Darker days were coming for Dayspring.

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Sorry that this section is so short, but I didn't have much to work with this time, but I think that is my own fault, for not advertising the last installment as I should have. There should be no more delays now, so let me know where the story should go! I will be choosing the next suggestion on Thursday, and posting the written portion on Saturday.

Until Next Time,

Your Fearless Writer,

C. R. Hopkins

Transition

Before I begin this section of story, I would like to apologise to all of my readers for the lack of story for the past few weeks. I went through an emergency move, and that has made things a bit tougher to keep up with. I am hoping that this week I can get things back on track. And now... On with the show.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Karen had left the fort for the past four nights. She couldn't remember where the group she had met were hidden, nor had she seen any of the members. She began to doubt that she would ever see them again. She couldn't deny to herself that she liked them, she was just scared. Fear had been a constant factor in her life for years, and she meant to take back the control it had stolen from her.

She entered one of the buildings and began to run up the stairs. The elevators were more likely unstable than not, after the fallout from the gang wars. News reports from the past year had mentioned the number of elevator related deaths in Dayspring were currently the highest in the world. Many of the stairs weren't much safer, but she had quickly learned how to tell which steps to avoid.

After quickly making her way to the rooftop, Karen began to look out over the city. This night, she saw Wings flying nearby, drawing closer by the second. It didn't take her long to realize that he had somehow spotted her, and was now making his way toward her. He landed on the roof between her and the door. "Alright, Spirit. What have you been looking for?" Karen pointed at Wings. "Decide to join us?" Karen simply shrugged. "I suppose you can mime your case to Dean."

With that, he grabbed her, then took off into the night sky. She was a bit freaked out by this, but didn't dare let Wings know. As they began a dive toward the roof of one of the buildings, it began to turn, revealing an opening that they slid into. They blew through the stairwell, the passing floors blurring together. They came to a sudden stop mere inches above the ground. Wings lowered Karen to the ground, where she lay, concerned that the rushing would begin again.

Dean looked down at her, obviously concerned. As Wings took off his helmet, Dean smacked him upside the head. "I thought I told you not to do that anymore!" He looked back at Karen. "Are you okay, Spirit?"

She shook her head slightly, and another young woman rushed over to take a look at her. After a brief examination, she spoke. "She looks fine, she's probably just disoriented."

Wings laughed and gave a wink. "At least she kept her lunch, Doc."

Doc's glare made Wings step back a pace. Dean lifted Karen from the floor and sat her in a chair. "So, Spirit, what brings you here?"

Karen grinned slightly and pulled something from a pouch she had strapped under her coat. The red striped glove was easily recognizable. It was one of Redline's.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, now that we're back on track, submit plot suggestions, and one will be chosen on Thursday to be witten and posted on Saturday. Thank you for your support!

Your Fearless Writer,
C. R. Hopkins

Watchmen

Karen stepped into an escape tunnel silently, not for the first time. This time, she was determined to go all the way. She had to see things with her own eyes.

The monitors would show no sign that she had gone. She had taught herself to get into the system and reprogram it a few months earlier. She thought about this as she moved closer to the door.

Karen paused slightly before entering the code to open the door. She was nervous about leaving the fortress. The door slid open and the fresh air on her face revitalized her as she stepped out into the moonlight.

Running toward the city, she began to take it all in. She could see where some buildings had collapsed, some had holes running through them, and some were smoking. She slowed as she entered the city itself, watching carefully for anyone who might spot her.

Hearing heavy steps walking down the street, she ducked into an alcove, her black clothes helping her blend into the shadows. She could see a shadow on one of the buildings move slightly. It jumped down to the street just as a purple bolt of light hit where it had been.

The shadowy figure ran down the street in front of Karen, and she could now make out that it was a young man that looked like he was two or three years older than her. He passed her just as the armored soldiers turned around the corner. They stopped in front of the alcove, taking aim at the young man. She tensed, preparing to spring at them as one turned and saw her.

She jumped out of the way of the bolt that was fired at her, then quickly repositioned herself. As she was trying to figure out a way to get closer to them without getting hurt, something struck both soldiers from above. A blue light surrounded both soldiers for an instant, then they fell to the ground.

Karen felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see the young man standing behind her. "There will be reinforcements coming. We don't want to be here then. Come on."

Karen only nodded. He turned to run off, and she followed close behind. She wasn't sure how long they ran, or which direction, but he finally ran into a seemingly abandoned building. She followed, stopping quickly as a sword blade appeared in her path.

The person holding the sword was wearing some sort of armor that was scorched in places. "Who are you?"

Karen didn't reply. The young man placed his hand on the sword. "Lower it, Zero. She's here with me."

There was a short mechanical laugh. "Bringing home strays on your hunting trips now, Dean?"

Dean pulled off the backpack he was wearing. "You know how it is out there. I couldn't leave her to the mercy of the Watchmen."

Zero nodded as Dean motioned for Karen to follow him. They stepped into what used to be a reception area for some business or another, but had been converted into a dining area. Dean set down the backpack and began pulling food out of it.

A few other teenagers began crowding around, staring at the food. One, a young man with black hair and a strange metal pack clapped Dean on the back. "Another successful hunt, I see."

Dean grinned as he pulled the last of the food from his pack. "I would have been fried if it wasn't for the assist. Thanks, Wings."

Wings looked at Karen. "Think nothing of it. Is this the girl that was there?"

Dean nodded as he sat down. "It is."

Wings looked at Karen appraisingly. "She has spirit. I like that. Are you going to join us?"

Karen just raised an eyebrow at the question. Dean watched her as he picked up a roll. "She doesn't know anything about us yet. You would be safer here than out on the street, though. No Watchman is going to sneak up on you here. Where are you from?"

Karen wasn't sure which way her home was from here, so she just shrugged. Wings sat down next to her. "Are you mute?" She shook her head. "Then why don't you say something?" She shook her head again.

Dean put his hand on her arm. "She'll speak when she has something to say. You're quick and, as Wings said, you have spirit. I think you could help us as we try to take the city back. Will you join the Justice Force?"

Karen's eyes widened as she thought about what he had just said. She shook her head sadly, then ran out of the building, quickly gaining her bearings then heading back to the fortress, tears in her eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This installment is a bit later than I planned, but I did still get it out on Saturday. I'm interested to see where the next section of story will be going, so be sure to let me know... The schedule remains the same. I will choose suggestions on Thursday and post the story on Saturday.

Until next time,
Your Fearless Writer,
C.R. Hopkins

Project Happy

George Weber stopped to look at the name on the door before he entered. "Mayor Frederick von Haast," it proclaimed. He mused over the events that had led them to this point, where they had successfully taken control of the city. He pushed the door open and entered the mayor's office.

The mayor sat behind a mahogany desk, stroking his mustache, his German heritage quite evident in his face. George couldn't help but think of the game Monopoly when he looked at the mayor. The mayor was always dressed like that, top hat and all.

The office was nearly bare except for the desk, which was kept spotless. One wall had been converted into many monitors, which Mayor von Haast could use to look at most places in Dayspring. Another wall held a few monitors that were tuned to world news channels. The mayor was ignoring both walls at the moment, focusing intently at the computer screen in front of him, smiling slightly.

The mayor looked up at George and his smile went away. "What news, Mister Weber?"

George looked at his notes and began. "There are rumors of another vigilante rising up in sector G11. I have told the others to notify you if there were any sightings. The military is still camped on the banks of the river. They are still waiting for us to make the first move. Our genetic manipulation programs are proceeding well. Soon you will have many powered soldiers under your command."

The mayor steepled his fingers. "very good. I have something new that I want to try on this vigilante when he shows himself. I believe we will be ready for the next phase within the month. How many soldiers will we have under my command before the month is out?"

George checked his notes. "We currently have approximately two hundred soldiers awaiting orders, and should have approximately three hundred by the end of this month."

As soon as he said that, a message flashed on the mayor's screen. The mayor grinned. "Wunderbar! It appears that you will be able to see the new project in action. Our vigilante has been spotted." He pressed a button. "Doctor Card, prepare Project Happy for sector G11. We have a vigilante to dispose of."

The mayor zoomed in on sector G11, the sector now taking up several monitors on the wall. A person wearing green body armor was fighting several gang members at once, a sword in one hand and a gun in the other. Three of the gang members had already fallen.

Four more fell as they watched, a scowl now showing on the mayor's face. As the green vigilante was about to take down the last one, a wall collapsed behind him. He turned quickly, now facing what appeared to be a cyborg bear. The bear had a metal mask covering one side of its face, a green light shining where the eye should be. It also had a cybernetic arm and wires poking out of its fur in various places. As its gaze landed on the vigilante, the green eye began to glow brighter until it burst forth as a laser.

The vigilante was quickly cut in two by the laser. As his body fell, the bear turned and shambled through the hole it had entered from. The final gang member rose from the ground and ran.

Mayor von Haast zoomed back out from the scene, the monitors all reverting to their proper sectors. "I would say that the project was a success, wouldn't you, Mister Weber?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael flipped through the various cameras, making sure that there was nothing suspicious on the perimeter. He sat back, his arms resting on the edge of the desk. He spun suddenly, holding the sword that had been concealed in the desk's edge to an intruder's throat.

Michael glared at the masked invader. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

The intruder raised his hands. "My name's Maverick. I want you to come back."

Michael pressed the blade harde to the intruder's neck. "Come back to what?"

Maverick turned intangible then stepped through the sword blade. "I think you know, Redline."

Michael shook his head. "Redline is dead."

Maverick gestured to the news on the television. "Look what his death brought. How many people died because he's no longer fighting for them? We need him now more than ever."

Michael scowled. "Redline couldn't save anyone. Not even those closest to him."

Maverick pulled the mask from his face. "He saved me."

Michael recognized the scarred face. It was a blond-haired young man that he had rescued from Calculator's lab once. "What do you think Redline could do, anyway?"

Maverick placed his metal mask over his face again. "He could train us. He could teach us how to fight back. Right now, they only have me, and I'm not half the hero you were."

Michael frowned. "He wasn't when it mattered the most. How did you find me, anyway."

Maverick laughed. "Redline appeared shortly after your wife was murdered. He disappeared the night your son died. The next day you went into seclusion and started building this fortress. I'm surprised more people haven't figured it out."

Michael nodded solemnly. "How did you get through the defense systems?"

Maverick turned intangible again and stuck his arm through the wall. "When you're a ghost, they don't even see you. We need you, Redline. We believe that they are going to try something soon, and you could be instrumental in stopping it."

Michael slid the sword back into the desk. "No. Redline is dead. I'm just a man trying to protect my daughter. Leave."

Maverick sighed and placed a small object on the desk. "In case you change your mind. We're all just people trying to protect something. How will you protect your daughter when they gather even more strength and invade your fortress?" He then slid through the floor, leaving Michael alone with his thoughts. Michael didn't notice as Karen slid out of her hiding place and snuck back to her room.

~~~~~~~~~~

It's that time again... Let me know where you want the story to go next and I will choose the general plot to write up on Thursday. I will write the next section by Saturday and post it then. For those curious, the two submissions were...

And then! A laser bear!

And...

Maverick and Michael speak, but Michael's mind is not changed...

Thank you!

Until Next Time,
Your Fearless Writer,
C.R. Hopkins

The Fall of Dayspring

He knew it was over as he cradled Jack's lifeless body in his arms. He could no longer be a superhero. He had slain the villain before his daughter's life was claimed, but he was too late to save his son. There could be no more Redline, not while he still had one child left to protect.

Tears streamed down his face as he ripped the black mask from his face, the red lines running down his arms standing out in the bright lights of his home. All of his secrecy, all of his strength, all of his gadgets, it had all been useless in keeping this criminal from finding out who he was and protecting his son. He screamed into the air as the sound of sirens began wailing in the distance.

He lowered his head, briefly looking at the charred corpse of a villain he hadn't recognized. He turned his head and saw his daughter huddled in the corner, shivering and crying. It was too late to save his son, but he would do everything in his power to protect his daughter.

He stood up, lowering his son to the floor, and shed his costume, revealing his sleeping clothes underneath. He then opened a secret compartment in the room, tossing the costume inside and quickly closing it. There was no Redline now, only Michael Gladstone and his daughter, Karen. Michael went over to his daughter and held her close as they waited for the cops to arrive.

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Three Years Later

The news reports had gotten progressively worse as the criminal element grew more powerful in Dayspring. The police did little to curb the crime, as most of the few remaining were on the payroll of one overlord or another. That situation worsened when a former supervillain was voted as mayor after running a campaign of change, control, and an end to the gang wars. Former criminals now had positions of power in the city.

The mayor had ended the gang wars, mostly through bringing the gangs together and giving them common purposes. This strengthened the gangs, as they no longer had to worry about attacks from the others. They could also operate more openly, since the police wouldn't dare to oppose them. The streets weren't safe to walk alone during the day, much less the night.

The bridges out of Dayspring were destroyed during the gang wars, causing the deaths of people who were trying to leave Dayspring as the city grew more dangerous. The airport and the docks were shut down, effectively cutting the city off from the rest of the world. There were whispered rumors that the mayor was behind that, but none dared to try to prove it.

Many parts of the city were in great disrepair due to the gang wars. Buildings threatened to collapse throughout Dayspring. People were crowded into the structurally sound buildings, some apartments holding three or more families.

Many people tried to continue to live life as normal, though the fear of the city was so strong that it could be felt. Some had tried to become heroes after Redline disappeared, but most were killed quickly. One hero, Maverick, had some moderate success, but he had disappeared and was presumed dead.

Cries for Redline to return had diminished, partially because it now seemed obvious that he had abandoned them, and partially because there was now a law making Redline's name and likeness illegal. More people were jailed for saying Redline's name or dressing like him than for all other crimes combined. The mayor had laughed as he signed it into law.

The military discussed trying to impose martial law, and even sent advance troops in order to prepare for such. When the advance troops were crushed quickly by the large superhuman population, the plans for military occupation were quickly scrapped. Other than supply drops from some organizations, the rest of the country avoided having anything to do with Dayspring.

Michael Gladstone watched all of this unfold through news reports, as neither he nor his daughter left the fortess they lived in since it had been built. Michael had made sure that it was stocked with enough supplies for fifty years and had a garden to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. Karen had not said a single word since her brother's death.

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That's the end of the first section. Now it is time for you, the reader to tell me where the next section is going. I will accept your suggestions for the plot of the next section on this blog, through Facebook, through Google+, through email, or any other way you have of letting me know. I will choose a plot to write on Thursday, and will have the next section written on Saturday. I look forward to seeing what I will be writing! Challenge me!

Until next time,
Your Fearless Writer,
C. R. Hopkins