"A HAND OF APPLAUSE FOR ZACK, EVERYONE," Mr. Print, head of Empire News, shouted, which got everyone clapping for Zack.
Well, except Stella.
"Aww shucks guys, I don't think this is such a big deal," Zack said nervously.
"Come on boy, you deserve this. Your story saved this news station. I was getting word that people were watching Phoenix News, but thanks to you, they're all tuned in to Empire News now. Suck it, you bird-brain bastards," Mr. Print shouted.
"So you really love my story," Zack asked his co-workers.
"Hell yeah. Didn't know what you were up to skipping work all that while, but it appears you were cooking," Amy, the previous anchorwoman, said gleefully.
"Yeah. That's my man Zack. Always pulling the best stories out of that hat of his, hehe," Kevin the cameraman said.
"Had to edit some parts, like those supernames. Expanding Man is kinda childish, don't you think. How about Expander," Mr. Print asked Zack.
"Well, I happened to like Expanding Man. It has a retro feel to it, right," Zack asked, trying to get his supername on the board.
"Let's go with Expander, kid. It's not everything in a story that sticks. But this isn't the time for criticism, it's time to celebrate. We're back to being the most-viewed news station in the E-state," Mr. Print said, which sparked massive cheering among everyone.
Well, except one person.
"Okay, okay... it's a good story. But what about mine? How come it never made the cut, boss?" Stella asked, feeling robbed. She had been investigating her story for months, even in Stickville...
"Oh, uh, yeah. Stella. It's, uh, a good story, but well, it doesn't quite get that 'wow' factor we're looking for, you know?" Mr. Print replied.
"Wow factor? This is about telling the truth. Spreading the word. People need to know what Miltron Labs is up to!" Stella shouted angrily, which caught everyone's attention.
Especially Zack's.
"What's she talking about, boss," Zack asked Mr. Print, who was sweating profusely.
It was the first time anyone had seen him so nervous.
"You know what. Fun's over," Mr. Print shouted, which got a combined sigh from all his employees. "Everyone back to work. New stories aren't gonna type themselves here, people."
"But what about my story, boss? Why waste time with new material when my stuff is right here?" Stella said.
Mr. Print quickly pulled her into his office without anyone noticing. Except Zack, who was about to tail them until...
RING! RING!
It was his phone.
"Ah, Paulina. I'm at work, I... uh... emergency? Okay, I'm on my way, sugar cube," Zack said as he left the office as fast as he could.
Back in Mr. Print's office...
"Did I have you transferred from that small town to the big city for you to charm the masses or be some low-rate detective, Ms. Miller?" Mr. Print said angrily.
"Look, I get why I'm here, but that shouldn't stop me from doing my part to help the station. Or the country. Milten is a terrorist."
At that moment, Mr. Print quickly covered her mouth.
"Hey, hey! Don't go spreading nonsense now."
"Nonsense? You read my story. Saw the evidence. We have enough of it to get that asshat convicted for life here."
It was getting clear Mr. Print was nervous. He was shaking and swearing even more than before.
"Wasn't he a friend of yours? I even heard he got a job for that friend of yours, Ivy whatshername. Why would you want to put him down so much, girl?"
"He was my friend, I'll admit. But now I know the truth. I'm just keeping Ivy there so she can sneak in some more evidence for me. Once I'm done, I'll get her to quit and find her another job. A safer job."
"Come on. Don't you think this is enough evidence," Print asked.
"Aha. So you do believe me," Stella pointed out, severely alarming Mr. Print.
"Look, it's true... okay. I won't deny it. But I can't release that information. I'll be ruined."
"So you are seriously willing to let a terrorist roam free and import dangerous nuclear weapons components from other countries to save your little news station," Stella asked.
"Hey now. Watch your tone, girl. You don't get it. I have a wife. I have kids. You think he'll stop at my station? You clearly don't know this terrorist as well as you think."
"That's why we have to release the news and get him in jail ASAP. Before he gets what he wants out of that Black Reactor he imported from that terrorist country, Yugoslavia. He could be planning a coup with that kind of technology."
"I'm sorry, Stella, but for my safety and yours, you have to drop all this."
"But boss..."
"NOW."
Stella looked at him blankly for a second. It was the longest second of her life.
"Okay, boss... I'll drop the story, but I hope you know what you are getting this country into."
"Believe me... I know," Mr. Print said as he swung his rotating chair away from Stella to look at the view of the city and began tearing up Stella's story.
All Stella could do was watch while her hard work was torn up like tissue paper. Soon, she had enough. Stella was leaving the room with no story to tell through the news. Until...
"Wait, Stella. I need to tell you something."
Stella stopped but didn't turn around. She didn't want to even look at his face.
"Evil always watches."
Stella turned to look at Mr. Print's sweating face for a second and left the room. She didn't know what he meant, but she knew one thing: she was taking Milten down even if it was the last thing she did, or her country would suffer a horrible fate.
Meanwhile, far off the coast of Empire City... in a dark red room, two familiar faces are having a go at each other.
"So I keep the idiotic Super Society off your back and this is how you repay me," Milten, last name unknown, the founder and CEO of Miltron Labs, the biggest tech company in the country of Commonwealth, said to his business associate, the notorious criminal once thought dead, Mr. E.
"Oh, sorry about that, Milten. How was I supposed to know you were using that Black Reactor?" Mr. E said innocently.
"Don't play games with me, Mr. E. Remember our deal. I keep the buffoons the masses call the Super Society off your work while you keep off mine. Now, I need my Black Reactor."
"Aww, well, sorry, but I'm also gonna need that Black Reactor, buddy. I'm cooking up a real mighty plan. Word of advice, Milten: leave the city. It's gonna get wild pretty soon."
"Leave the... what the fuck are you planning?!" Milten asked.
"Hmm, it's my little secret. Let's just say I've got the whole Flathead gang to help me," Mr. E said as he motioned toward a large corridor with several cells, each containing members of the Flathead gang.
"I swear to whatever God you believe in, Mr. E, you fucker. Once I get out of here, I'll make you pay," Falcone Flathead, boss of the gang, screamed. He was currently detained and having his DNA altered, making his mind slowly slip away.
"Sorry, boss, that one's still got a little fight in him," Ace said as he was overseeing the mutations.
"Wait... is that Ace? The guy who killed the Danger Squad. What is he...? Seriously, Mr. E, what the fuck are you planning?"
"Hmm, I'm sorry, Milten, but I'm afraid that's on a need-to-know basis, and all you need to know is that you gotta get the hell out of the city pronto. Peace out," Mr. E said as he hung up the call on his giant computer.
"Hmm, what a funny guy. Whatever. This world will soon be devoid of his kind once the age of man is over. Step by step, bit by bit. Isn't that right, Ace?"
"Whatever you say, boss."
"Hmm, you really know how to take away my enthusiasm, don't you, Ace? Now come on. How is my son doing?"
"Your 'son' is currently in stasis, but his awakening is 98% complete."
"Oh, goody. Now let's get a look at the little champ, shall we," Mr. E said as he grabbed Ace and headed to the basement to see his greatest creation.
"Isn't he a sight for sore eyes, Ace," Mr. E said as he made it to the basement, one floor from the bottom of his secret base.
"Huh... yeah... let's get out of here," Ace said, clearly uncomfortable with the sight of the skinny teenage boy with blond hair and stitches in his elbows.
"Aww, come on, Ace. Get a good look. Doesn't he look a lot like Buford. Doesn't he?" Mr. E asked.
"Well, I guess," Ace responded nervously.
"Of course he does. He's Buford's clone, after all. Needed him nice and strong to lead my army once the day comes."
That's when the boy's eyes began to open.
"Uh... yeah, I'm gonna check on the prisoners, boss," Ace said as he got one last look at the boy, shivering slightly, and left the room.
"Hmm, seems you scared him off, son. Ah well, I can't blame him. It is his best friend's face he's staring at. And we both know how that friendship went, hehe," Mr. E laughed childishly as he kept talking to the boy.
"Now rest easy, boy, for when the time of man ends, the evolution begins."
Suddenly, his eyes started glowing red and his nose twitched profusely.
"Oh, looks like I finally caught one of the members of that new Danger Squad. Now come on, let's go hunting," Mr. E said as he kept looking at the boy in admiration.
Meanwhile a green light shining a few rooms away from him.
It was the light emanating from Mr. E's greatest creation: the machine that will bring a new age. The age of evolution.
...To be continued...