Baron Zemo's Lair. - Chapter Two

Baron Zemo's Lair

Chapter Two
Sunday, 04-Jul-1999 15:18:43
24.64.71.35 writes:

Chapter two- NTU-150

It was raining. It was always raining. It felt as if the sky had been crying for years. And why shouldn't it? The light had gone. Shed no tears? Why not? Why hold back a sea of pain?

NTU-150 looked up at his gigantic hall of armors in his secluded laboratory. No one had seen him for quite some time. Not since "it" happened. He had holed up in Mt. Banahaw over in his old homeland, the Philippines. The old folks said that the mountain was filled with mystical energies that could heal a person.
Half-crazed and half-believing the stories he had heard as a child, he had taken refuge in the giant mountain and built a great armory and laboratory inside a mammoth cave deep within it. After all, if the mountain had energies to heal, he would need every last bit iota of it. The wound inside him was too great for even his vaunted armor to handle.

She was gone. NTU removed his expressionless helmet to reveal his sad and weathered face. He gazed at his reflection on the helmet's shiny faceplate. Back in the old days, his helmet would hide his face from his enemies, so as not to show his fear. But it would also hide it from his friends, and keep them from seeing his smile. He always felt that a man dedicated to science and heroics should always put on a brave, strong face in front of people. Smiles were for mortals. But now, there was no one to hide his face from. And there was no more smile to hide. Not anymore. She was gone.

He stood up and hurled his helmet at the metallic walls of his secret bunker with an anguished cry. As the sound of clanging metal faded away, they were replaced by echoing sobs. NTU leaned against the inactive mainframe in front of him in despair. Then he looked up with a blank stare. And his mind went back...back to when "it" happened.

It was horrible. It seemed like nothing could stop it. The Lair Legion tried their best but one by one the met with defeat. Finally, NTU-150 devised a plan. He knew that only his beloved Tina could possibly pull it off with her mental powers. She was scared, but he told her, "It's all right. You can do it. I believe in you. Everything's going to be all right. Just trust me." And she did.

And she died.

The memory of her death was too much for the mechanical man. NTU's fragile mind quickly flashed to several months after. He had been beyond caring. The Parodyverse was in shambles. In a final, desperate attempt to regain control over everything, he gave Hal Vanderbuilt , several other wealthy tycoons and the heads of government the designs and blueprints of his armors and weaponry. He told Vanderbuilt and the others to outfit all their men with the technology in order to stop "it." In the end, his actions saved the world, and doomed it. For now, all corporations were using his technology to control the world. Governments were waging high-tech war on each other. And Hal Vanderbuilt had become the most respected and powerful man in the Parodyverse. Millions have died.

NTU then let out a piercing scream. "Why did you trust me?!!!" he yelled to no one. "Why?!"

He then bowed his head in sorrow. Suddenly, an idea entered his mind. It penetrated his entire being, caught fire and singed his soul. With sudden vigor, NTU-150 trudged over to a panel beside a giant carbon-steel door. He punched in the numbers 0-6-2-0-9-7. The door slid open, stale air wheezed out of the once enclosed hall. NTU stepped in an gazed at his inventions.

Very few people knew of his extensive battery of armors. They only knew of the suit he regularly wore. But he had indeed been working on several models. But he had never found a reason to use any of them...until now.

On a small keypad near the door, he typed in a single word: mallory. Suddenly, the armors all sprung to life, their eyes glowing an unearthly red. On the screen above the keyboard, a single line was flashed: All armors. Main objective: destroy leaders of the world.

With that, dozens of boot jets burst into flame as numerous armors took off in every direction. The ceiling of the bunker opened wide and many metallic bodies flew out of a giant hole in Mt. Banahaw.

NTU then typed in another code: synergy. Suddenly, another secret door opened revealing a hundred-foot tall technological monstrosity. NTU activated his own boot jets and flew up to the behemoth's chest plate. By pressing a button on his gauntlet, NTU activated the giant's unibeam housing, which allowed him access to the main control unit. There NTU-150 merged his armor with the systems of the giant. Circuitry fused as nanotechnology unified his armor with the on-board systems of his gargantuan creation. The giant armor then stirred as NTU activated it. It was time to take down Vanderbuilt. And after that, it was time to take down the world.

Evil spiffy hovered over the great Mt. Banahaw. He knew that it was time to find allies in this great adventure of his. Using his cosmic powers, he had traced the reclusive NTU-150 to this god-forsaken place. He felt the emptiness in the cyborg. And the seeds of evil were easiest to plant in those who had room for it in their hearts. With a single thought, he disappeared into the mystical mountain. He would have his ally. And the adventure would begin.

by NTU-150