The thing behind the door cleared its throat.
Captain Avery drew his sword.
Engineer Leonardo drew a ruler.
Lady Blackbird drew the brass lever.
“Who,” asked Avery, “is behind the door?”
The door exploded.
The bronze beacon screamed.
“Oh,” said the Guardian.
Everyone looked at him.
“That’s not supposed to happen.”
“What isn’t?” asked Lady Blackbird.
A shadow passed over the city.
Then another.
Then a third.
Engineer Leonardo looked upward.
Lady Blackbird looked at the brass lever.
“Now that,” she said, “looks useful.”
The Guardian lunged.“No!”
Too late.
She pulled it.
When sight returned, they were standing in a vast marble hall.
A golden throne stood before them.
Upon it sat a very strange man.
Avery stared.
Leonardo dropped his ruler.
The man on the throne raised an eyebrow.
“I suppose,” he said, “you’ve come to stop me.”
He smiled.
ping:
