Episode 12: New World Order - Part 3

Mark's late-night arrival home was a stark contrast to his usual self. Naked and visibly shaken, he walked through the front door with a mixture of trauma and depression etched on his face. His parents, Tetra and Tony, were taken aback by his state, their concern and worry evident in their expressions. But before they could even process what they were seeing, Mark ignored them, his eyes glazed over as he levitated up the stairs, his movements robotic and detached. He vanished into his room, leaving his parents stunned and confused, wondering what could have caused such a drastic change in their son.

As Mark entered his room, his turbulent emotions triggered his telekinetic power, causing the door to shut and lock behind him. He went to bed, lost in thought, replaying the unsettling encounter with Terra. Shortly after, Tetra knocked on Mark's door, sensing something was amiss when she found it locked.

Concerned about her son's mood, she spoke calmly, "Mark, sweetie, can we talk about what's going on? I'm here to listen."

However, Mark remained silent, unresponsive to his mother's gentle coaxing. Feeling a pang of guilt, Tetra wondered if she had failed to provide the support Mark needed.

She apologized, "I'm sorry if I haven't been there for you, Mark. Please know I'm here for you, no matter what." With that, she left, leaving Mark to his thoughts, but making it clear she was willing to be a steady presence in his life.

Mark's gaze was fixed on the ceiling, his mother's words echoing in his mind from the other side of the door. He silently pondered the events with Terra, drifting into a troubled sleep plagued by nightmares of the same incidents.

Suddenly, Mark jolted awake, drenched in sweat, as uncontrollable tetra beams erupted from his eyes. The intense blast shattered his ceiling, sending debris into the atmosphere. Birds were killed or severely injured by the beams, and some fell dead into his room. The blast narrowly missed a plane, fading just inches from contact.

Realizing what had happened, Mark managed to regain control of his powers, aware that it was now daytime. The eruption had alerted Tetra and Tony, who rushed to his aid. Tetra, using her super speed, arrived first, breaking down the door with ease and sitting beside Mark on his bed. Tony followed shortly after.

Before Tetra could speak, Mark embraced her, tears streaming down his face as he clung to his mother. "I'm not strong enough, Mom. I'm scared," he confessed.

Tetra gently embraced him, her heart heavy with the knowledge of Mark's burden. She knew it was time to tell him the full truth about her past and the empire they might one day face.

Mark began to avoid school following his harrowing encounter with Terra. His absences were becoming routine, and he fell behind on his academics, missing tests and crucial information. The shame he felt prevented him from reaching out to Amanda or Mark Junior; he didn't know how to explain his situation and avoided their calls and texts, leaving them deeply worried.

Instead, Mark threw himself into rigorous training at the Guardians of Earth headquarters. He unleashed his frustrations in the training room, pushing himself to the brink. Occasionally, he accompanied the Guardians on missions, hoping the battles would clear his mind. However, his inner turmoil often boiled over in combat. During these moments, he sometimes lost control, dangerously attempting to eliminate villains permanently. His teammates, including Nature, OLX, and Green, were quick to intervene, either restraining him or guiding him back to composure.

Despite their gentle attempts to engage him in conversation and offer support, Mark consistently brushed off their concerns. He chose to mask his struggles with a facade of normalcy, determined to push forward while concealing his pain.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Doom Syndicate's members—Madmat, Stardust, DarkLight, Kingpin, and Blast—prepared for the takeover of the single world government inauguration. As they strategized, the heroes were also gearing up for the imminent confrontation.

In the training room, Mark's erratic behavior hadn't gone unnoticed. The present heroes and allied Doom Syndicate members, engaged in their respective tasks, were aware of his increasingly troubling actions. Vox, concerned, approached Zipporah, complaining about Mark's uncharacteristic behavior over the past few days. He remarked that the kid seemed to have lost it. Zipporah, however, having sensed Mark's profound emotional, psychological, and physical distress, decided to address the situation with empathy.

Her sudden presence brought a momentary pause to Mark's intense training. After he had demolished the last Tekdroid into fragments, its severed head was telekinetically caught midair by Zipporah as it swung toward her. With a swift movement, she crushed it, surprising Mark and halting his destruction.

Communicating telepathically, Zipporah's words were filled with emotion. She reminded Mark that life is a series of trials and victories, then shared her past with him. She recounted the tragic destruction of her own planet and her deep-seated hatred toward Tetronians. Yet, it was Mark's mother's sacrifice that gave her a second chance to save her race from extinction. Zipporah concluded her telepathic message by asserting that no challenge is insurmountable.

"Don't hate yourself, Mark. Everything has a reason to exist," Zipporah conveyed, deliberately omitting her knowledge of his trauma with Terra. "The one you might consider an enemy today might become an ally tomorrow."

"You are not alone in this," she continued in a calm and understanding tone. "Just as humans say: a problem shared is a problem solved." With those final words, she left Mark to reflect, resuming her own duties.

When Vox later inquired if Zipporah knew what was happening with Mark and whether she had made any progress, she responded that the process of healing and forgiveness was now in Mark's hands.

The next day, the inauguration of the single world government was underway, with Tetra's presence required elsewhere. At the McCoy residence, Mark Junior and Amanda arrived to check on Mark. They were greeted by his father, who invited them in and informed them that Mark was upstairs in his room.

When they entered, Mark McCoy was startled to see them, especially Amanda, whose eyes were filled with concern.

"Hey, Mark," greeted Mark Junior in a calm voice.

"Amanda," Mark McCoy replied quietly, meeting her gaze briefly before looking away.

Amanda approached and sat beside him on the bed. Sensing his distress, she took his hands in hers, her warmth providing a brief respite. Mark McCoy, still unable to meet her eyes, remained tense.

"Mark, what's wrong?" Amanda asked softly, her voice filled with concern as she tried to catch his gaze.

Mark Junior, noticing the situation, commented to Amanda that he had never seen Mark so cold and distant, suggesting that whatever he was going through was deeply troubling him.

At this, Mark McCoy gently withdrew his hands from Amanda's, leaving her momentarily stunned. Amanda, understanding his need for comfort, gently turned his face to meet hers. She was taken aback to see his eyes brimming with tears.

Before Amanda could speak, Mark pulled her into a heartfelt embrace, apologizing profusely. He confessed his feelings of weakness, his fear of losing her, and his inability to defend himself. This raw vulnerability left both Amanda and Mark Junior in stunned silence.

Amanda, her own heart aching for him, held him tightly. "It's going to be alright, Mark," she said softly, her voice brimming with warmth despite her inner turmoil. "We'll figure this out, whatever comes next."

Mark Junior finally broke his silence, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Wow, I had no idea you were assaulted, Mark."

As the inauguration began, visuals were broadcast globally for all to witness. Leaders from every nation, either physically present or via telecommunication, were in attendance. The sight was breathtaking; the auditorium was filled to capacity, brimming with anticipation. The moment President Baraq was officially sworn into office, marking his presidency of the planet, a crisis erupted. Madmat and his crew, along with a few new recruits, struck at the heart of the ceremony.

In an instant, Stardust unleashed her powers, wreaking havoc as heroes swung into action. Some heroes focused on protecting civilians, guiding them to safety, and creating a perimeter. Meanwhile, others confronted the villains head-on. Mimic zeroed in on Stardust, drawing her attention. They locked eyes, circling each other with palpable tension.

In Stardust's eyes, there was a glint of betrayal. Mimic had once been her ally, her leader. "When you found me, rescued me from my oppressors, you promised vengeance against my enemies and liberation for all who suffer as I once did. And now, here we are, facing off. You've sided with the enemy. You've gone soft, breaking your promises. It was all lies," she spat, her fury evident. "I even let you mimic my abilities, believing you would set us free," she added, her tone growing more aggressive.

"I understand your pain," Mimic replied, his voice steady. "But what's coming is bigger than us. Join us, Stardust. With your powers combined with ours, you can unleash your fury against a common foe that seeks to conquer Earth. Together, we can liberate more of your kind."

Their forearms clashed as they locked gazes fiercely. "Convince me further, or I will unleash my fury and madness upon you," Stardust warned, her voice echoing with intensity as she battled Mimic ferociously.

DarkLight unleashed his powers, shrouding the atmosphere in darkness to match his sinister nature. Simultaneously, he released blinding light-based attacks, forcing Nature and ThunderBolt to confront him in a fierce battle. The clash between them erupted in flashes of lightning and deafening thunder.

Meanwhile, OLX and Madmat engaged in high-speed combat, their immense velocities making their movements a blur. As they battled, OLX attempted to reason with Madmat, proposing an alliance against the Tetronians. However, Madmat, aware of the looming threat, refused to join sides. OLX, gaining the upper hand, swiftly grabbed and tossed Madmat aside with a powerful impact. Both recovered quickly, charging at each other with incredible speed, their forearms colliding in a furious clash.

"You've got potential, Madmat, but not like this," OLX urged. "You abuse the power of speed. Why not turn a new leaf and see how being a hero can transform your soul for the better? There's an impending war coming, and Earth won't be safe unless we work together."

"Worry about yourself, OLX," Madmat retorted. "I don't need advice from you. I'm faster, and I can do whatever I want. With my speed, I can go wherever I please, and you won't even see it coming."

"So let's make this quick," Madmat continued. "I've got other lives to ruin and crimes to commit."

"I warned you, and I hope you change your ways before it's too late. And oh, this fight will be over in a flash," OLX replied as they continued to battle intensely.

Kingpin battled against Supreme as the latter tried to convince him of the impending danger from the Tetronians and the need to help save the world. Kingpin, hearing this, stated it wasn't his concern and that he would rather aid the Tetronians than side with the heroes.

"Kirby King!" said Supreme as he clashed forearms with Kingpin.

"Kingpin!" yelled Kingpin, correcting Supreme. "Call me Kingpin, not by my name."

"Your pursuit of vengeance and destruction is unjust. Soon, justice will catch up to you," said Supreme, their forearms still locked in a fierce clash.

"Who are you to justify what is unjust? A supreme judge, I guess," replied Kingpin with sarcasm lacing his aggressive tone. Forcefully breaking free from their clash, he was only to be tossed aside by Supreme.

On the other side of the battlefield, Blast battled intensely against Teknight. His aggression and obsession with Teknight's prowess fueled his attacks, launching a barrage of energy blasts that Teknight skillfully avoided both on the ground and in midair. Sometimes, Teknight harnessed the energy from Blast's attacks to redirect it back at him.

"You see, Owen, I may not be able to do what you do, but I am stronger and more powerful than you will ever be," said Blast, laughing maniacally as he resumed his onslaught.

"Henry! When will you learn that your ego has blinded you to self-discipline?" replied Teknight, his voice firm as he strategized a counterattack.

"Don't you dare lecture me on self-discipline!" roared Blast angrily. "You are the one who's beneath me. Once I eliminate you, the others will fall."

"Madness! Even Mimic has come to realize the truth despite being more powerful than you will ever be. Leave this delusion aside and face reality. You know about the incident that occurred—that alone should jog your memory on the need to save the planet," said Teknight. He then activated a mega sonic device he had placed in Blast's ear, incapacitating him as he could only hear the devastating effect of the soundwave.

As the heroes and their allies from the Doom Syndicate overpowered their individual foes, Teknight activated his drones, which automatically placed power-neutralizing cuffs on each defeated enemy. Vox watched in stunned silence as their adversaries, including the newly recruited villains, found their abilities rendered useless despite their attempts to resist.

"Is everyone alright?" Teknight asked, scanning the area.

"Everyone is, including the president," Green replied.

"What the hell is that?" Vox asked, pointing at the cuffs. "It's preventing their powers from working."

As the protectors regrouped, they noted that no civilians were harmed, despite the commotion and the damage to the surroundings. Nature had restored the darkened atmosphere to its original state.

"Where are Tetra and Terra, by the way?" ThunderBolt inquired.

Before anyone could respond, President Baraq, now the president of the planet, informed them of Tetra's mission to seek out other loyal Tetronians and potentially make new allies along the way.

"And as for Terra, it's possible she went with Tetra on her mission," added President Baraq. Observing Teknight's power-neutralizing cuffs on the villains, he was impressed. He then discussed another matter, stating that now that he had become president of the planet, he wanted to fortify and expand the prison to hold even greater threats.

While they discussed, Vox approached Zipporah with a smile, which she returned beautifully. Just before he could reach her, an immense force struck Vox with devastating speed and power, shattering his body apart instantly.

Vox's body was brutally shattered apart, his organs scattered by the sheer momentum of the impact. The protectors and their captives were stunned; neither OLX nor anyone else could have expected or pinpointed the source. They were taken aback, thrown aside by the force, including President Baraq, who was knocked out cold. Vox's blood and shattered organs splattered across Zipporah, leaving her in silent shock before she too was tossed aside by the immense shockwave that had crushed Vox.

As some heroes began to recover, they saw a figure of immense power, covered in Vox's blood and remains, standing a few feet away from the incident, facing away from them. The figure held Vox's severed head, crushing it before turning to face the heroes. They immediately recognized the letter "T" emblem on her chest, signaling that she was a Tetronian.