Paragon City, Steel Canyon, Silver City Apartment Building, 7: 23 pm
In a well-furnished and comfortably disarrayed living room, a pair of scaly green feet lounged on a black leather ottoman. Nate Conrad, the Leapin’ Lizard, slumped indolently in his big chair as he watched Friday night sitcoms. Between a hard week of crimefighting and lab work, the semi-reptilian hero was already geared up for a quiet weekend. One long-fingered hand was already buried in a bowl of kettle corn; the other was lifting a glass of Diet Rite to his mouth. The good life.
At that precise moment, the Lizard’s TV — and that of everyone in the WPGN viewing area — cut off into static, interrupting the laugh track. “Aw, nuts,” muttered the Lizard, as he set down his popcorn to grab the remote, but within seconds the picture had returned.
But not the sitcom.
Instead, a blue-hooded figure seated behind a table. A figure wearing a grotesque, grinning green mask.
In the Leapin’ Lizard’s apartment, a glass of soda crashed forgotten to the floor.
———
“Evening, Paragon TV viewers!” came the evil, mocking voice from the mask. “I know you’re all anxious to get back to your program, and find out whether Stan and Annette get together, so I won’t keep you long.
“As you all know, I’m your good friend the Grinning Ghoul. No need to reintroduce myself — you’ve probably met either me, or my associates in Infamy Unlimited, during one of our many really fun trips to your city. Oh, we’ve had a lot of laughs. Mostly at your expense, of course, but anyway.”
He snickered a moment, then lowered his voice and leaned toward the camera. “But although you know us here at Infamy Unlimited, it has come to my attention that you do not fear us yet. Not enough. Well, we’re going to have to fix that, aren’t we, Paragon? And we will fix that … starting tonight.
“As of tonight, the Grinning Ghoul and Infamy Unlimited declare war against the people of Paragon City! At my command are the most powerful super-criminals this world has ever seen, and you shall learn to fear them like never before as they lay waste to your homes, your shops, to any place you once imagined yourself secure and safe. You’ll soon learn how pathetically you’ve been kidding yourselves.
“And with each blow we strike upon your city, you will also learn of the effectiveness of Paragon City’s so-called heroes. No matter how many of your protectors come leaping to the rescue, they will always prove themselves too weak, too slow, too pathetic to stop us. Infamy Unlimited is superior! Ha ha ha ha!”
Here, in the midst of his manic outburst, the Ghoul held up for the camera a small black handheld device like a remote control. “But talk is cheap. So here’s a free demonstration for you to chew on. No extra charge.” His armored thumb pressed a large red button on the control, producing a very faint beep.
“Well, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” continued the Ghoul, “so I’ll wrap things up for now. People of Paragon City, I now return you to your spineless, mediocre, TV-watching lives. Enjoy them … for as long as they last.”
The Ghoul chuckled, slowly and evilly, as the camera zoomed to fill the screen with his twisted visage. Then the screen turned to static, and local programming resumed. Except the sitcom had been replaced by a “LIVE BREAKING NEWS” infographic, with an urgent voiceover describing the grim situation now being shown from the WPGN helicopter:
“… panic and devastation at the Mashu Bridge, where a massive explosion just moments ago has collapsed one of the bridge supports … smoke and debris are making it hard to see, but the middle section of the bridge appears to be completely collapsed. At least one car can be seen teetering on the edge … And now, less then one minute after the explosion, heroes are already beginning to arrive at the site. I’m being told that Whizkid has just run up and is helping motorists from their cars, and that streak of blue light in the sky is reportedly Dr. Ray, now appearing on the scene …”
———
In the control room of Infamy Central, the Grinning Ghoul stood watching the lovely havoc on the news feeds. After enjoying the show for a minute, he switched off the monitors and turned away. Mind-Grinder, who had been standing patiently in the back, spoke up.
“For someone who spends so much time invisible, you have a surprising weakness for the theatrical,” commented the psychic in clipped, disdainful tones.
“It’s television, Mind-Grinder,” the Ghoul answered jovially. “The public expects a little razzle-dazzle with their nighttime viewing.” A chuckle escaped from behind his eternally smiling mask. “Now we’ll let the heroes clean up the mess, as they always do. They’re good at that.”
“In that case, you’ve wasted all this expense on a mere a publicity stunt.”
“Mind-Grinder, for all I care they can repair the bridge overnight and have people driving on it to Saturday brunch. Our goal here is fear. Paragon will remember that Infamy Unlimited can strike them anywhere, anytime — and their pathetic heroes can do litttle more than pick up the pieces. After tonight’s broadcast, they’ll credit us with everything that goes wrong for days. Every robbery, every unexplained disappearance, every power outage … their first thought will be to remember my face on their television screen.
“Tonight may be only a stunt; but one day, Mind-Grinder, all of Paragon City will be under our control. In order for that to happen, they must fear us. Don’t you agree?”
Mind-Grinder considered this. “Actually, I wouldn’t see the point of ruling anyone who didn’t.”
“That’s the spirit!” laughed the Ghoul. “After all, old friend, the first word in our name is ‘infamy.’ Which is something I take very seriously. As for the ‘unlimited’ part” — and here his voice took a wild, unhinged pitch — “oh, it will be unlimited. I have a plan for that, too. And soon the very cosmos will quiver at it. Hahahahahaha!”
To be … continued?
