Friday August 17, 12:25 PM
Man deported from US for 'Nazi crimes'
A US immigration judge has ordered the deportation of a 91-year-old retired factory worker because of his role in the Nazi destruction of the Warsaw Jewish ghetto in 1943, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
"Vladas Zajanckauskas was an accomplice in Nazi mass murder," said Eli Rosenbaum, director of the Justice Department's Office of Special Investigations.
Can't get much more Jewish than that, muttered Henry Watcher's constant companion, Dunkel Materie.
"Dunk, stop that now." Watcher chuckled, set the paper aside and took off his glasses. "We've been de-Nazified for how many years?"
Sixty-three.
"Not long enough, it seems for you, Dunk."
Dunk laughed. Watcher looked around his small apartment and smiled at his conversation with his companion. He knew that if he didn't have Dunk in his head, he would have been like all of his other friends - dead or not knowing their own names. Dunk kept him alive and sane - to the chagrin of his three children.
"I should get some--"
Suddenly, his front window exploded.
Watcher moved faster than any typical 86 year old, diving under the table but not without glass ripping through his shoulder. He looked up and saw a rock tied to what looked like a scarf. He tentatively reached his hand for it even as the cold Chicago air rushed into the warm house. He pulled the rock toward him and untied the scarf. He dropped the rock when he saw the symbol scribbled on it. It was a three-armed cross set in motion, similar to a swastika on fire.
The symbol of the 5. SS Panzer Division Walkyrie that he had been a part of. This symbol and most of the personnel from that division, were enlisted into assorted experiments. One of them was what presented him with Dunkel Materie - Dark Matter.
Then he saw the words written on the scarf, words written in English but still ominous: "We're watching."
Tomomi heard the call for their flight over the airport intercom. All four rose, and Masonry helped to carry the bags to the boarding area. Tomomi looked from Frosty to Mase, and smiled. "Hasaki-san, [we might as well go first.]"
Frosty looked to his father. "[Yeah, dad, I'll be with you in a minute.]"
Hasaki looked at the two men curiously. "[All right.]"
Masonry bowed to the both of them. "[Have a safe trip,] Hasaki-sama, Tomomi-san."
"Konichiwa," they said, and bowed in return. Masonry watched the two of them pass through security.
Frosty turned to Mase. They both spoke at the same time:
"Are you going to be all right--"
"I think I'll be okay--"
They both laughed. Masonry smiled and said, "I'm working, I've got those new recruits I need to make things for, I'm patrolling the RWZ, I'm searching for a Japanese superhero's daughter gone missing, and I'm sure if I tell Kit I'm bored she'll hand me a rag and some Windex."
Daisuke smiled, tilted his head in that shy and seductive way that Mase found so endearing. Mase rumbled, "Don't do that, man."
Daisuke laughed. "Thanks for letting me go, Mase."
"For God's sake, it's your father."
"I kinda wished bro--" he shook his head. "Nah."
"It would have been a very long plane ride. I'm sure Tomomi will be entertainment enough."
"For the other passengers." He glanced at the entrance. "I'd better get--"
"You'd better get--"
They laughed again.
Frosty touched Mase's forearm. "Take care, Mase. I'll see you in a few weeks."
Masonry looked at Frosty's eyes, then quickly glanced around. Frosty did the same, nodded once. Mase leaned in, and the two of them met for one last kiss. It was short, but sweet nonetheless.
Both parted, blushing. "I'll see you soon," Mase said. "Take care of your dad."
"Take care of yourself. Jack, take care of him."
Mase nodded. "Aisheteru," he whispered.
"Aisheteru yo," Daisuke replied with a whisper and a smile, and left.
Then they hired this new guy for him to babysit. This guy was *not* built for this job.
The new guy was tall and broad, not conductive to the bursts of winds that could buffet a man this high up. However, he didn't seem afraid to be that high, and looked straight ahead as he walked, trusting his feet to find the places needed. That was something learned after many years of practice. But Stan was a bit of bigot, thinking that big guys like this one needed to stay groundside and dig ditches.
His name was Greene, originally from IP. Louis struck up a friendship with him during his first week, and Louis was a chatterbox. But by Friday of his first week, Greene was giving Louis a run for his money, the two of them trading jokes and insults like old friends.
Greene didn't seem a bad sort. He agreed to go with them the next Friday to their usual after-work bar haunt, and, being the rookie, agreed to pay the first round of drinks.
Stanley went down to the highest floor that had a bathroom to use it. He saw Greene sitting on the rough-hewn floor, his legs dangling over the sides and looking out at the Overbrook dam. He looked distracted and wistful. Stan had something that needed to be said.
"Hey Greene," he called.
Greene jerked his head around; his hand was on a pendant around his neck. He let it drop onto his chest. It was a cube of what looked like blue ice, reflecting the grey of his shirt as if there was a grey fire inside of it.
"What's that?"
Greene looked down at the pendant. "Oh, gift of a friend." He tucked it under his shirt. "What's up?"
"We are," Stan said, the usual reply to that question. "Hey, listen . . . are you sure you want to work this high up?"
Greene looked confused. "Am I doing something wrong? I do know how to weld--"
"No, that ain't it. It's just . . . well, up here . . .accidents happen."
"I understand that."
Finally Stan cut to the chase. "You're a really big guy, Greene."
He smiled. "And big guys fall harder?"
Stan tried not to look uncomfortable. Greene got up. "I assure you, Stan, I'll be fine."
Stan should have known that discussing the possiblity of an accident would jinx them. And it did.
Rob was a two year vet, walking along the top girder. He was perfectly balanced, even-weighted on both sides of his belt. Stan was watching him out of the corner of his eye, when he saw Rob lurch.
Lurching is very bad at 2,218 feet in the air.
Rob's foot missed the next step, and he fell forward, but nothing was there to catch him. He cried out and reached for something, anything. His fingertips brushed a bit of steel - then Stan watched him disappear.
"ROB!" He yelled, and men stopped. Then Stan saw movement to the side of him - Greene toppled over, off the steel beam. Stan's heart flew into his throat as he saw the man twist into a dive, then turn and head down faster than a man could fall. Greene turned into a gray streak, pausing for a moment and then pulling up, heading back their way.
He hovered in the air before Stan, cradling Rob in his arms who had passed out from the shock. "I'm going to bring him down," he said to Stan. Stan only nodded, stunned.
Louis yelled with a grin, "Who was that masked man? It's our guardian angel!"
"[Sit down, Ges]," Battlefield Overlord Luther Waldemar said to his second in command.
Ges sat down on the large chair. The surviving five members of the Jagerverbande, the ones that survived the trip to the future, were welcomed with open arms into the 5th Column remaining here and treated as kings. The problem was in this future, they had never heard of the Reichsfuhrer der Schlachtfeld, but the men made sure they understood how important he was.
"[Feuer is still distraught over his brother's death and is unfit for duty.]" the Overlord began. "[I am sending you into the field.]"
"[Overlord, I don't speak English very well. I don't know this country or this time.]"
"[The Owl has been studying it for you. You and he will share a constant link through your minds. He will see through your eyes and hear your thoughts constantly, and he will translate them for you into English so all you need to do is repeat them aloud.]"
"[He knows English?]"
"Nein. [He will be connected constantly to me as well. What he can't translate, I will.]"
"[So he will hear me, send it to you, you translate it, send it back to him, and then he sends it back to me?]"
"[Precisely.]"
"[I will be halting in my speech.]"
"[A little bit. You may even teach them German.]"
"[To be ready for the success of our office?]"
Waldemar smiled. "Selbstvestandlich."
They walked into the empty apartment. Daisuke listlessly hung up his scarf at the foyer and kept right on walking.
"Daisuke... Daisuke?"
Nate locked the main door, then turned to see Daisuke go to the bathroom and shut the door to it. Nate went into the living room and sat on the couch, his eye on the bathroom door. Just needs some time, that's all.
He watched the door, but he didn't come out. Nate walked over. "Daisuke? Are you all right?"
"Yeah." He opened the door.
"No, you're not," Nate said, wiping the tears from Daisuke's cheeks. He pulled him into a hug, while Daisuke returned the embrace. He caressed Daisuke's hair and back, not wanting anything, just to hold him.
They stood like that for a long time, Nate listening to Daisuke's quiet sobs against his chest, and merely petting his back and hair. Finally the sobs turned to breathing hard. "Oh, Daisuke…"
He sniffled. "I'm sorry, Mase," he muttered in his chest.
"What's to be sorry for?" He kissed the top of Frosty's frozen hair. "I should be the one apologizing." He said quietly, "I guess this is what I had ready for you."
He looked up. "What?"
Mase looked at him. "Something the Captain said. Said that whatever I'd do to you would be worse than anything I've done to anyone else." He took his hands away from Daisuke's back slowly, but rested them on his bicep. "I've hurt you by hurting the other person so precious to you, your brother." He rested his forehead on Daisuke's forehead. "I'm sorry."
Mase closed his eyes. I never should have gone there, never should have done those things. You're not evil, you're not.
Oh yes you are.
Shut up, Jack.
Look at what you've done to the man you "love" – or is it just lust? If he gets a brain will you still like him? Or do you love how he worships you—
Mase's eyes hardened. Daisuke saw it, and stepped back. Mase focused on Daisuke. "I'm sorry, that's not meant for you."
"Who?"
"Jack. He's not helping. He keeps saying I should go back to the Isles."
"Oh," he said. Mase caressed Daisuke's hair.
"I don't care about me. I care about you. Do you want me to still stay?"
Frosty looked around at the alternative – an empty apartment. "If you want to go…"
Mase glared at Frosty. "I'm asking you."
Frosty put his head back down on Mase's chest. Mase continued to caress him. He leaned back against the doorframe and let Daisuke hold onto him. He kissed his hair again. "Come to bed."
Daisuke followed Masonry to the bedroom. They both changed into a pair of shorts and climbed into bed. Masonry set his chest against Daisuke's back, like they always did when they fell asleep.
"It's okay, Daisuke."
"Why, Mase, why?"
Mase held him close, nestled his head into Daisuke's neck. "I don't know." He didn't know a whole series of "whys" – Why do I like killing? Why did I want to give up the life of my best friend's daughter for my own happiness? Why do I think life's so cheap? Why do I hurt those I love?
"You've done such things… such horrible things…" Daisuke embraced Nate's arms wrapped around his chest. "But you love so much…"
Mase cried silently. There were no more words between them, just holding, and both men drifted off to sleep.
"I want that."
They both turned and saw an Oriental man in a low coolie hat and robes. Three other men flanked him.
Jerry assessed them and knew he couldn't take them. "Tsoo," he said with contempt.
"Give me that," the robed man demanded. "Your purse, please."
"No!" Ellie cried, holding it close to her chest.
"We will have to take it."
A man in red robes and a hood shoved Jerry aside while another in grey grabbed Ellie and yanked her bodily out of the alcove. The man in the coolie hat stepped aside. One with long hair tied back and tattoos everywhere went at her.
"Help!" she screamed.
A blue streak appeared out of nowhere, and in a flash, the Tsoo coolie-man was gone. The red-dressed one looked around curiously for a moment before the blue streek appeared and he, too, was gone.
This left two men, the long-haired one who generated energy at his fists, now ignoring Ellie and a bald one in gray who drew daggers and crouched at the ready. Then a man slowly dropped out of the sky and hovered before the two men.
He wore normal clothes, a blue t-shirt, blue jeans and boots. The two victims blinked at him.
"Hello," he said brightly, and smiled at the two men. The one in gray stood up straight, and the blue-clad man turned, grabbed him by the front of the shirt, and flew up. The two victims watched as he flew over the beach, over the water, and turned into a speck.
"You die!" roared the long-haired man and punched at Ellie. She screamed and ducked as the punch hit the wall and put a huge hole in it. The man readied himself for another when he was tackled from the side by the blue streak and kept barrelling forward until he hit a beach wall.
Ellie turned from it, burying her head into Jerry's chet. The man in blue came back, but now in brown with huge pointy pads on his shoulders. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said quietly. "Are you two all right?"
They both nodded, Ellie staring at the man in a combination of awe and horror. "Thank you," Jerry said. "We have no money--"
The man looked at him curiously. "Money? What do I need that from you for?" He smiled. "I'm supposed to say something like, 'Saving your life is thanks enough' but actually..." He spread his hands.
Ellie smiled warmly at him, and Jerry felt a pang of jealousy. The man nodded to them, and floated in the air for a moment. "Can I do anything else to help you?"
"What's your name?" Ellie asked, almost breathlessly.
"Masonry," he said quietly. He looked down at her. "Your bag's broken."
She looked at her purse - the Tsoo had torn off the strap and some stuff spilled out onto the Boardwalk. She blushed and said, "I'll just get a new one."
"I'll pay for it. It's the least I can do. If that's all right with your...boyfriend?"
"Fiance," Jerry snapped.
Masonry looked from one to the other. "Well, okay then, I guess I'd better be going. Be safe, now."
As he flew away, he heard the argument start. It only added to his depression.
Fly around in the Isles, Nate. You won't have to save someone and get yelled at for it.
Shut up, Jack.
Oh well.
Nate didn't reply, but felt Jack's presence keenly.
Let's go to the Isles now.
...what?
Sure. Daisuke, Frosty, the man you thought would accept you despite whatever happened, left you. The promise doesn't mean anything any more. Let's go take it out on someone.
No.
Frosty's left you. Repudiated you. For what you've done. For what you will do.
No. He said he needed time.
Oh come on, Nate, you know what that means. He's gone. GONE. You want to go kill someone that loves you as a replacement, because you can't kill him yourself. You gave up your reputa--
A Rikti broke through the lines and Nate was on him in seconds. He dispatched it easily with one solid punch.
Now everyone calls you gay. Queer. Because you admitted you loved him. You know, he never said he loved you.
Masonry looked out at the field dispassionately.
C'mon, let's go. It's the perfect place to let it all out.
No. I'm not going back there.
Red's got the boys--
"No, dammit!" He yelled this out loud, in the middle of the compound, attracting the initial attention of a small group of Vanguard.
Making you mad enough to kill again, huh? Frosty ruined you. It won't take long before you realize it and want to kill again. Nope, not long at all.
I won't do it anymore.
Somebody will say something, or you'll let it stew and it'll explode, and you'll kill. Maybe the people in Futura? Rusty first?
No.
You sure? Let's take it out right now. I'll even let you change into dwarf and let you rip their guts out. Can you imagine the terror on their faces? Same thing with Star; c'mon, let's go find Star and you can rip her to pieces like she keeps threatening to do to you.
You're saying all this to try and get me angry.
No. No, no, no. You know when I'm being sarcastic. Can't you feel it?
Masonry closed his eyes and easily felt Jack's rage. He snapped his eyes open in surprise.
Let's take it out on StarWyng, the stupid girl.
"I won't, Jack," he said quietly.
Ha. I don't believe you - then Jack fell silent and distant.
Interlude: Nightmares and Dreamscapes
"Hisagi--"
He didn't expect the punch to his face to be so hard, or the follow up blast that cascaded him across the room, into the couch, knocking it over.
Aw, man, we just cleaned the place up from the last fight...
"You are doing what with Daisuke?!"
"Just sleeping with him!"
"I trusted you!"
So many people trusted you and you betrayed them all.
Piett's voice echoed in his mind, "What do you have in mind for Frosty?"
Stronghold was advancing, his fists clenched at his sides, a determined killing look on his face. Masonry scrambled up from the toppled couch and climbed out of the sunken area.
"Hisagi, wait."
Stronghold moved too fast, and the punch that came at him knocked him across a good few yards, into a teleporter. Oh, he was pissed. He should have known to expect some sort of reaction - he expected what Havoc did, "Stay away from him." He didn't expect Stronghold to beat the crap out of him.
As Stronghold came at him, Masonry hit the teleporter button and found himself in Atlas Park. He was on a bridge, below which was assorted traffic. He barely had time to register it when Stronghold appeared beside him.
He bent down and picked Masonry up by the front of his shirt and stared at him with the same kind of eyes that Star had for him all the time now. He said nothing, but held him out above the bridge (Wow, he's stronger than I thought ) and let him go.
Masonry fell to the pavement, 200 yards below, and just had time to look up and see the truck's headlights barreling at him.
Nate woke with a scream in his throat and the sound of shattering glass in his ears. He took a breath to swallow the scream, sat up and looked around the room. Daisuke's room.
He glanced down at Daisuke's sleeping form, then around at the ice chips. The man could sleep through a train wreck, Nate thought, swinging himself off the bed. Probably has to do with the ice. He kicked some of the ice chunks around - Daisuke's aura always encompassed the two of them as they slept, so Nate always found himself breaking out of about three inches of ice in the morning.
After the bathroom, he went back into the room and put on his clothes from last night. The clock said 5 am, too early for anything exciting, so he decided to head over to the kitchen and make a pot of coffee. He stepped out into the hallway, closing Daisuke's bedroom door, then turned.
A woman's face stared at him.
In shock, he jerked back, his back and shoulders hitting door. He'd never seen the woman's face before, and it took a moment for him to register that she wasn't really there. She was too white, too transparent.
"Uh... hi?"
She gazed at him intently, then a hand reached up and touched his chest, and went inside it. Nate gasped in pain as icy cold followed the path of that hand, and wrapped around his heart, slowing it. He closed his eyes and could hear his blood slow, slow--
Jack burst into heat and warmth inside him, filling him with power and fire. Nate snapped open his eyes to see the ghost gone.
"Who the hell was that?"
Ask Daisuke later. Jack sounded distracted, but said he was fine, and the two souls headed toward the kitchen again.
Red took a drag on the cigarette as he and Diesel leaned against the back of the Vault Registry building. “I don’t get it," Red said.
“Dunno,” Diesel said quietly. “Ev’ry time he called us. We all was, like, ‘Why?’”
“Bally said he saw the Master kill one of our own.”
Diesel nodded. “I seen ‘im do’it.”
“How come?”
“Had ‘is reasons.” Diesel took one last drag on his cigarette then tossed it off to the side. “I seen ‘im take one kid an’ whip ‘im t’ death.”
Red had no emotion on his face as he asked, “No reason?”
“Tha’ I c’d see. Wore th’ wrong colors, maybe. He did say once 'at he gets mad an' does it.”
Red nodded. “I saw that once. Tore a RIPper’s head right off.”
The two men stared out at nothing for a moment, and Red smoked. “Need another?”
“Yeah.”
Red fished out the pack from his jacket and offered a cigarette.
“So whaddaya think of ‘em? Was I right?” Diesel took it and accepted Red’s cigarette as a light.
“Seems that way.” Red took back his cigarette.
“I know y’ wanted t’ make y’r own decisions, but…”
Red turned to Diesel and smiled. “I guess I can take that report now, then.”
Diesel made an awkward salute, which looked even more comical with the cigarette in his hand. “Diesel reportin’ fer duty, suh!”
Red laughed and assumed a stern look. “At ease, soldier! Report!”
“Got me some intel on three people y’d be workin’ with, suh!”
Red nodded, smiling. “Cut it out.”
Diesel chuckled. “Two men, one woman. One dude has magic all around him. A clone the Master’s friend so he knows him real good. He got some Japanese guys who run ‘round wi’ im.”
“D, I know this stuff. What does the Master think about them?”
“Havoc y’ c’n trust. Piett’s a dick. The witch is cold. Don’ trust‘er. She lies.”
Red nodded. “I don’t know about Havoc. He acts a lot like Piett. Piett is a dick, that’s for sure.” He contemplated his cigarette. “The witch…” He shrugged. “One thing I learned is that women can be just as cold as men. She smiles at me and I know she could turn around completely and set me on fire - and like it.”
Diesel finished his drag and blew it out speaking, “'at she does.”
“The only one she seems to like is Piett.”
“The Master says that’s cuz she’s cheatin’ on her boyfriend.”
Red tilted his head. “Oh, really?” She came down not only a few notches in his estimation, but almost off the ladder. “What’s the matter with her boyfriend?”
“’s in a coma.”
Red took a last drag and flicked his cigarette out into the night. “Then what is she doing running around out here? Looking for someone else?” He turned to Diesel. “The Master would have taken care of her. Maybe gotten her to loosen up.”
Diesel smiled, shook his head. “Master’s taken.”
Red chuckled. “Whoever it is, she’s a lucky lady.”
The Master.
Angel - now with the title of Frost - walked through the hallway of the Winter Southern Base, her ice armor glinting in the dim lights of the hall. Her small entourage of two of her three brothers and their assistants followed her. Since the Calling Forth, they began mustering whatever forces and information they needed to begin finding this man.
She turned the corner and jerked to a stop. All of them saluted the red-haired woman before them who smiled at them in response.
"Dusty," she said in English, "I will speak with you."
"Yes, Lady," she replied and followed the woman into a side room that looked like a human's library, with books, tables, and chairs spread about. The woman motioned to a chair and Dusty sat.
"Who angered you now?" she demanded.
"A man who used me."
She sighed. "We have gone through this before. Did he pay you? Give you things?"
Dusty blinked. "He said he would give me money. He gave me some, yes."
The red-haired woman folded her arms across her chest. "When are you going to understand that when people pay you, that means you're obligated to do something. Do you understand obligation?"
"It is when you have to do something."
"Yes. Just as Fealty means you have to treat the other party as a son, and if you're Claimed it means you need to be protected. You *have* to do those things, right?"
"Yes, but it is not the same."
"Of course not. Because you have to do something for someone else because *he* told you to do it." She turned away. "That's what angered you. You had a job. It's not his fault that you screwed up."
With no emotion on her face, Dusty looked up at the woman. "I did not 'screw up'. I--"
"Got too close?" The woman turned around and gave her a slight smile. "I know how that is. I've been where you are. You're half human, remember?" She walked behind her desk. "I have ordered the Calling Forth cancelled. No more shall you be allowed to muster troops until I say so. If your brothers want to do something for you, that's fine, but we will not waste precious manpower on your petty whims." She looked up at Dusty. "Is that clear."
Dusty rose from the chair and saluted her. "As you command, mother."
Her mother folded her arms across her chest, and Dusty left quietly.
"Princesses," Lady Winter spat.
Large breasts did not attract her to him at all, so he didn't understand how humans could be so enamored by them. He buckled the belt behind her.
"[Gauntlets]," she ordered.
He got up from his knees and went to the table to get the gauntlets.
"[You wish to destroy your enemy,]" he said quietly.
"[I am Calling Forth.]"
He stopped at the table with the gauntlets. "[Who or what?]"
"[Luther, the man who hired me to watch the human male.]"
"[Hm... can you find him?]"
"[If I can find his servant, I can find him. He is the one who told me to follow his servant, and he knew all along where he was.]"
"[I do not understand.]"
"[He is a human and thinks like a human. He wanted for me to be his eyes and ears." She studied her brother coldly. ["I belong to no one. I will not be used."]
Polarfox put a hand on his chest in a gesture of submission. She continued, watching him buckle the gauntlets, "[I have Claimed this human I have watched as my prize.]"
"[You Claimed him? Father will not be pleased, especially if it's a human.]"
"[I want him. He's mine.]" She adjusted the gauntlets. "[Which is why I must Call Forth.]"
"[In whose name shall I summon the army?]"
She looked up at him, her eyes beginning to glow blue. "Kain."
They never spoke, parted ways. He got on his bike and started back to the concert, but the next thing he knew, he suddenly on someone’s hard-wood floor, with some girl screaming, “I’m so sorry!”
As she ran out of the room, he went to follow, and heard a crunching sound as he crossed the threshold. He looked behind him to see silver on his shoulder. He craned his head back further to see… gossamer wings.
Meanwhile the girl had run out the door. He couldn’t fly with the wings, so, ducking and weaving through doors, he followed her, almost compulsively. He saw her stop at a bridge, and he started to yell at her not to jump –
But she did. He felt his heart get ripped out of his chest when she did – the folks at MAGI said it was because her connection for him to be a “familiar” had broken with her death, and he was free. But they couldn’t get the wings off him.
Then he started yelling at them and breaking glass. And walls. MAGI packed him off to Paragon City. They try to give him new mentors to learn under, but he bucks every single one of them.