"Protection? Or revenge? " the Brain said aloud, electronic eyes absorbing the information from the computer screen. Mallah turned towards him, one eyebrow raised.

            "I could not venture a guess. "

            "Try. "

            "A little of both, perhaps. If what we saw on the screen was unvarnished truth, then- "

            "Then? "

            "They are most likely coming here under the misapprehension that you want them dead, " Mallah said, with a sigh. The Brain was silent for a moment, then,

            "Revenge, then. "

            "Or to beg your forgiveness. "

            "Doubtful. Houngan, maybe. But his companions? Never. " The Brain's electronic voice radiated certainty. "Never. No, they are coming to kill me, kill us, before we kill them. "

            "But we aren't trying to kill them! " Mallah snapped.

            "And so? It does not change their belief. " The Brain's chassis turned, facing Mallah. "I can feel them, somehow, " he said.

            "Houngan, " Mallah snarled, slamming one big fist into his open palm. "Those damnable dolls! "

            "Most likely. " The Brain fell silent. Then, "We could destroy the Doom-Dactyl before it reaches us. "

            "But the risk to yourself &if Houngan truly does have a doll with your DNA- "

            "The risk is acceptable, " the Brain said, after a moment's hesitation. "Activate the self-destruct sequence! "

Issue # 16

'SINNERS GAME' (Bungle in the Jungle, Part Four)

            "We are getting close, " Houngan said softly. He held his voodoo doll up and gestured with it. "Very close indeed. "

            "I say kill him and be done with it, " Plasmus grunted, sitting a few seats back. Phobia gave a bark of laughter.

            "No! Better to see the fear in his eyes before we rip him out of that awkward little case and squash him! " She rocked forward in her seat, her eyes alight with an unwholesome eagerness. Knockout looked over at her and grimaced. She stood and wandered towards the front of the vehicle where Bane and Plunder sat.

            "The beasts are becoming restless, " she said, her voice low.

            "As we knew they would, " Bane commented. Plunder, busy flying the Doom-Dactyl, said nothing. Bane turned, his gaze falling over the three Society of Sin members. "We will have to be quick, when the time comes. "

            "I will be like the wind itself, " Knockout said, cracking her knuckles.

            "How about a little water, to go with that wind? "

            The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, a raw gurgle of water surging through a weak pipe. Water began spraying through the panels and vents and Plunder jerked back, cursing.

            "What- "

            "Ease back. Put your feet up. Take a drink. " A solid column of water slammed into Plunder, ripping his seat loose and sending him flying back towards the back of the plane. Bane ripped his seat belt loose and dove aside as the same thing happened to his own seat. More water seeped through the ceiling and floor, geysering up into the shape of a woman. New Wave.

            "Why so surprised? I wonder if I should feel insulted? " she said, crossing her arms and grinning at the stunned super-villains. "Nah. I'll settle for the satisfaction of drowning you in midair. " She stretched out her arms, sending a flurry of watery tendrils arrowing towards the Society of Sin.

            Houngan ducked, sinking between the seats as water surged overhead. Phobia did much the same, but Plasmus rose from his seat and lunged forward, smashing his steaming form into the water. With ponderous steps he pushed through the pressure, eliciting a cloud of stinging steam.

            The Doom-Dactyl shuddered and alarms and warning signals began to keen as the simmering plasmoid crashed into New Wave and carried her backwards into the controls.

            Bane prepared to go help the Society-member, but a blast of flame cut the air in front of him. He whirled around, slamming into the wall of the cockpit. Heatstroke waved at him.

            "You guys should really learn to check the cargo hold. "

            "And you should learn not to talk so much, " Knockout snarled, leaping up and grabbing Heatstroke by her wrists. Heatstroke jerked her head forward, catching Knockout in the face.

            "You're the one who hurt Darryl! "

            "Was that his name? " Knockout said, dropping her opponent and stepping back. "I didn't catch it over the sound of his bones snapping. "

            "You witch! " Flames roared out, washing over the other woman. The Doom-Dactyl shuddered. Bane reached out, grabbing Houngan and yanking him up.

            "Escape pods. NOW! "

            "I- "

            "You're not going anywhere! " New Wave shrieked, a spear of water sprouting from her hand and smashing into Bane, sending him sprawling. "Shakedown! Take this plane apart! "

            "Shake- " Plunder looked up, still dazed, and saw the green-suited form of the third member of the Masters of Disaster climbing up out of the cargo hold, his palms pressed flat against the wall and deck plating.

            "I-It w-w-won't t-take m-much effort! " the bald man stammered, face screwing up in concentration.

            "None at all, in fact, " Phobia said, rising to her feet and gesturing. Shakedown staggered, his eyes widening.

            "N-No! N-Not again! "

            Something exploded. The Doom-Dactyl pitched sideways, engines screaming a banshee wail. Bane lunged forward, his fast crashing across Heatstroke's jaw. He turned, looking for Houngan. He saw the Haitian dragging Phobia towards one of the alcoves set into the side of the Doom-Dactyl like boils.

            The escape pods.

            Bane hurled himself towards the two Society members, but found himself slapped aside by a lavender-colored limb. Plasmus laughed as he followed his companions into the pod.

            "Only room for three on this trip, little man! "

            With a gasp of air, the pod ejected from the side of the Doom-Dactyl, leaving a gaping hole to mark its passage. Bane clutched a seat as the air pressure dropped and he was yanked towards the hole by the invisible talons of the wind. He reached out, grabbing Plunder by the hem of his coat, even as the bounty hunter hurtled past. Knockout sank to her hands and knees, fingers digging into the decking of the plane, holding tight.

            "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into! " Plunder said. Bane said nothing, instead concentrating on maintaining his grip. Several feet away, Shakedown had grabbed hold of Heatstroke and was holding her pressed tight to his bulk.

            "N-New W-W-Wave! W-W-We've got to g-g-get out of here! This p-plane is c-coming apart! "

            "I'm not blind, you bald lummox! " New Wave shrieked, her form writhing and lashing. "I-I'll just-just- " She looked around desperately. Bane smiled beneath his mask.

            "You don't know, do you? " he said, shouting to be heard over the wind.

            "Shut up! "

            "Well, I do. I also know where the Society is going! If you want to have any chance of surviving and collecting that reward, you'll have to listen to me, woman! "

            "I- "

            "Truce? " Bane said.

            The escape pod hit the ground with a bone-jarring thump and rolled through the jungle on built in gyroscopic treads, crushing trees and rocks beneath its weight. Inside, Houngan stroked the gear shift and pressed down on the accelerator.

            "I should have realized that abominable creature would have installed a self-destruct mechanism, " he said, half-way apologetically. Phobia frowned.

            "A shame about the others. I have a feeling that cannon fodder will prove to have been useful to have around. "

            "Bah! We are enough to handle one traitorous brain and its pet ape, " Plasmus snarled. "You are certain you have their coordinates? "

            "As soon as the power core blew, I knew we were close. My doll only confirms it, " Houngan replied, patting the voodoo doll hanging from his harness. "It's literally singing, so close is our quarry. "

            "I hear nothing. "

            "You're not listening correctly, " Houngan said, smiling. "Besides, we would have to be quite close indeed for the Brain's antiquated self-destruct devices to work. Despite his brilliance, he too often relies on the tools of a former age, including radio receivers. "

            "And which of those tools do you think he plans to use on us, hmmm? " Phobia said.

            "We shall soon find out, Phobia, my dear. Look! " Houngan pointed and the gyropod came to a clattering halt at the sagging gates of a jungle-haunted compound. A ratty flag flapped from a rust-riddled flag pole and the gates were bent almost double from the weight of the jungle flora that crawled over them. Strange multicolored birds took to the sky as Houngan set the pod in motion and crashed through the gates, anticipation warming his veins.

            The Brain was theirs.

            "They are here. " Monsieur Mallah's statement was flat. He hefted an alien blaster and slung it over his back. Two more, smaller in size, were holstered on his hips. He set his beret more firmly on his head and looked up at the Brain, who hung in the air, suspended by an antigravity generator in his chassis.

            "Hh. " It was not so much an assent as it was a noise of frustration. "Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to blow them up. They are unlikely to listen to reason now. "

            "If you ever bothered to listen to me- "

            "Must you pick now to say 'I told you so'? "

            "We may not get another chance, so, yes. " Mallah sighed. "I love you. "

            "I- "

            "Be careful. " Mallah dropped to the floor without waiting for the Brain's reply. Without a backwards glance, the gorilla loped into the darkness of the compound. The Brain hovered quietly for a moment, then,

            "I love you also. "

            "Clever, " New Wave said, her words bubbling up around them. Bane inclined his head. Five supervillains stood in a giant bubble, which happened to be the sixth villain of the lot.

            "Of course. " Bane looked down at Heatstroke, whose powers were being used to keep the bubble that was New Wave just on the cusp of becoming steam.

            "How did you know- " New Wave said.

            "I have a degree in the natural sciences. " Bane gestured to Shakedown. "Aim your tremors in that direction. The force should be enough to begin moving us towards our target. "

            "Which is where, exactly? " Plunder said. Bane pointed.

            "There. I saw what looked to be a walled structure as we left the Doom-Dactyl, hidden amongst the trees. It's the only building for miles and Houngan seemed to believe we were close. "

            "Educated guess, then? " Knockout said. Bane shrugged.

            "I am educated and it is a guess. "

            "When we find them, the bounty is ours! " New Wave gurgled. "Just so we're clear. "

            "Of course. We're not being paid to take down the Society at any rate, " Bane said, crossing his arms.

            "Yeah? What are you being paid for? " Heatstroke said, looking up at Bane suspiciously.

            "Something else entirely. " Bane pointed towards the ground. "There. Take us down. "

            Plasmus shattered the door with a sweep of his arm. A barrage of energy blasts struck his rippling flesh, and he staggered back. Phobia dove to the side, her cape swirling.

            "Automated systems, " she said. Houngan, inside the gyropod, activated the propulsion systems and leapt out as it began to rumble forward. It crashed through the doors and smashed aside the automated defenses systems in a welter of sparks and splintered metal.

            The trio stepped inside. Dismantled machinery hung from the ceiling and mountains of parts and equipment hugged the walls. Houngan sniffed.

            "A veritable palace. "

            "It serves our needs well enough, " a voice said, echoing down from the roof. Houngan looked up.

            "Mallah. "

            Something rose suddenly out of the pile, steel claws reaching for the Haitian. Plasmus grabbed him by his harness and jerked him aside, driving a fist into the half-finished robot's grinning skull face. The contraption clattered as it fell, spitting sparks. Another, shaped like an off-balance spider, stalked forward from behind another pile, the machine guns mounted on its back spitting death. Plasmus absorbed the shots as Phobia and Houngan sought cover.

            Phobia snatched up a length of metal piping and tossed it to Plasmus, who grabbed it and hurled it through the gun-spider's chassis, pinning it to the far wall.

            "Pathetic, " Plasmus said.

            "Well, it wasn't like we were expecting company & " Mallah said.

            "Then you shouldn't have tried to have us killed, ape, " Houngan said.  

            "What makes you think it was us, Droo? "

            "Your hired killers were quick to name names, beast, " Plasmus bellowed.

"Game's over, Mallah my sweet. Come out, come out wherever you are & " Phobia sang.

            "As you wish. "

            A hairy paw fastened around the back of Phobia's head and she was yanked up into the darkness before she could do more than squawk. Houngan and Plasmus whirled, but too late.  Phobia's unconscious form tumbled down to land face first on the floor, her cape covering her form like a shroud.

            "Mallah! " Houngan said.

            "None other, mes amis, " Mallah's voice echoed from the rafter above. "You'll forgive me if I don't stay to chat, but- "

            "No forgiveness necessary, " Houngan said, pulling his voodoo doll from his belt and driving the stylus into its chest. From above came an animal screech. Plasmus chortled as a hairy body plummeted towards them and whipped one long arm forward, smashing the gorilla out of the air.

            "Did you really think I wouldn't have your DNA as well, Mallah? " Houngan said, stalking forward. He jabbed with the stylus again and Mallah writhed, howling. Plasmus hauled the ape aloft by his throat.

            "Where is he? Where is that detestable little- "

            An energy blast caught Plasmus in the back, forcing him to release Mallah. The creature whirled, eyes widening. Another blast caught him in the head and Plasmus fell, clawing at his face.

            The Brain trundled into view, hovering a few feet above the floor.

            "You wanted me? I am here. "

            Houngan jabbed his stylus down, changing the code in his doll. The Brain squealed, his form shuddering. Houngan smiled.

            "I've always wondered if my little toys would work on you, my friend, " he said, advancing. "Do you even feel pain the same way as a normal person? Describe it to me, if you would. "

            The Brain screamed again, the chassis wobbling in the air as the stylus touched the doll.

            "Is it a phantom pain? A sudden resurgence of activity in long dormant portions of your amazing mind? " Houngan raised the stylus. "Ah well, I suppose I'll just have to wonder. "

            "Yes, you will. "

            Houngan spun, even as a watery fist enveloped him and he screamed. Thrashing wildly, he was borne backwards as New Wave stalked forward. "Time to die. "

            "What- " Plasmus climbed to his feet, shaking his head. His eyes fixed on New Wave and he charged forward.

            Shakedown slid into his path, hands raised. Plasmus' form shuddered, then exploded as Shakedown's powers adversely affected the creature's nearly liquid form. Heatstroke followed up with several quick bursts of flame, further separating the larger portions of Plasmus into tiny blobs.

            "It'll take him hours to get back in shape, " Heatstroke said. Hands on her hips, she glanced at the three just then entering the base. "You guys missed the fun. "

            "Shame, " Plunder said, nudging Phobia with his boot. "How will I get on? "

            "Disappointing, " Knockout said, crossing her arms. She smiled. "Still, fun while it lasted, I suppose. "

            New Wave turned towards Bane as she dropped a half-drowned Houngan gasping to the floor. "Well, if I was a more gracious sort of gal, I might say thanks. "

            "No need, " Bane said. He stooped and helped a dazed Mallah to his feet. He looked up at the Brain. "You are a difficult individual to find. "

            "The question is why you sought to find me. "

            "The bounty- " New Wave began.

            "Was not placed by me, " the Brain said. New Wave blinked. Before she could reply, and before any unpleasantness could occur, Bane tossed a holo-emitter into the air between them. It crackled, once and then the image of Mockingbird appeared above them all, looking down. The shifting panorama of faces seemed to smile.

            "Good evening. We are Mockingbird. "

            "What the hell- " New Wave looked at Bane. "What is this- "

            "It was we who placed the bounty. As such, we will place the agreed upon amount into your offshore accounts, " Mockingbird said, focusing on New Wave. "We have also seen to the care of your injured compatriot and his release from police custody. "

            "Darryl? He's okay? " Heatstroke said. "But why- "

            "The Masters of Disaster have proven themselves quite capable under the circumstances. There will be more work for your quartet in the future, we believe. " Mockingbird's holographic skull shifted, angling towards the Brain. "As for you, you are, as Bane said, quite hard to track down. We apologize for the necessary deception. "

            "You instigated this merely to find me? " the Brain said. "Clever. "

            "We pride ourselves on our efficiency. Understand that we have not undertaken this effort lightly. We wish to offer you something of great benefit to both you and your companion. " Mockingbird's features drew closer to the Brain. "An alliance. "

            "We have had alliances in the past. They rarely work out well. " Mallah gestured at the unconscious Society members. "Why do you hide yourself behind an electronic mask, Mockingbird? "

            "Like you, we have many enemies. And like you, we desire the security that friendship brings. And we can offer you that and much more. Security, resources and motivation. "

            "You have &a plan? " the Brain said, sounding curious.

            "Oh yes, there is a plan. " Mockingbird smiled, a shifting deluge of expressions. "And such a plan it is! "

            Bane watched the hologram talk to the brain in the jar for a moment, then stepped away, hands behind his back. Knockout followed him.

            "Something bothers you? "

            "Only that which I cannot control. " Bane looked back, at Mockingbird. "There is something on the wind & "

            "I know. Delightful, isn't it? " She clapped her hands. "Like the calm before a coming storm. "

            "Yes. Delightful. " Bane crossed his arms. "I wonder if any of us will survive? "

TO BE CONTINUED

Next issue: The next to last storyline of SECRET SIX begins as twelve (yes, twelve! Count 'em, twelve!) supervillains begin a race to find the last drop of the fabled fountain of youth! But why do they want it &and for whom are they seeking it? Be here in thirty for the beginning of 'YOUNG AS YOU FEEL'!