"Haven't you analyzed his genetic code yet!?" Dr. Thunder howled over the din of Dirge's battle. The whole lab was trying to find out why the boy in the tank was alive. All their previous tests indicated a person couldn't handle the extreme physiological differences, not for multiple forms at least. But Jason could.

"No, sir! But we've found that it isn't the result of latent powers, sir. He's only super because of the formula." one of the techs said. Dr. Thunder looked thoughtful.

"Send 50,000 volts through the electrodes. We'll see whether his use of the serum is conscious or not." he commanded. The crew at the control panel winced but did so, and Jason grunted as his body shifted, becoming rubber to negate the electricity. There was an unmistakable smell of cooking meat and wires in the air.

"Hey uh, Mr. Ando? Do...do we really gotta do this? I mean, electrocuting a helpless kid…" 2-D said nervously. Ando shook his head.

"This is the type of thing you'll learn to overlook. It's unfortunate, but the boy will live." Ando said. Until the boss decides he doesn't, he added mentally. "Just be ready to clean up once Dirge is done, and remember not to say-"

The hallway fell quiet.

Relief was palpable in the whole lab. Dirge was an excellent super, but having to be near him when he fought could be ear-splitting.

"At last, I was getting a headache." Ando said.

"Hmm. Increased neural activity with a drop in blood pressure. Despite that the subject appears to be stable-" Dr. Thunder muttered, but Dirge entered in through the ripped door.

Looking pissed with Star-Strong by his side.

"Wanna tell me what 'the subject' is, doc?" Dirge spat with a scowl.

"Evacuate." was all that the doctor said, and the techs made a mad dash through the exit further down into the underground laboratory. 2-D, Bladeshift, and Artillery stood by Ando with a tar grenade launcher, looking fearfully from hero to hero.

"Don't bother. I'll rock your world if you try." Dirge said, strumming his guitar dangerously. Star-Strong went over to the big tank, where his sidekick was floating and unconscious.

"Jason…"

"I think the release button's somewhere near the-"

"I got it." Star-Strong drew his arm back, and with a mighty twist threw his fist at the reinforced polymer.

KER-KRACK!

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"No! No! Stay back!"

"Mom!" Jason was running, running toward the light. Not the bright, clean light of Heaven, but the dirty orange flames of Hell, piercing the darkness with their horrible clarity, twisting the shadows into grotesque, monstrous shades taunting him. He ran to his mother, arm outstretched.

"Going somewhere, young man?" Jason was caught in an iron grip, seeing Nicholai's enormous face, eyes bulging and bright, ready to devour him whole.

"No! Jason, run!" his mother shouted, dragged backwards into the flames by black, charred hands.

"Mommy…" he whimpered, barely a whisper, a prayer to save her or a hope to save him. Nicholai laughed, not a full-bellied guffaw but a quiet, sensible chuckle. It was more sinister than maniacal cackling.

"She's of no use to us. We gave you your power, your life is ours now." Behind Nicholai's giant head was Knightsbridge on the left, the insanely giggling troll doctor on the right. The flames roared with their cruel laughter as Nicholai opened his mouth, the darkness ready to swallow him up completely.

"No! NO! PLEASE NO!" Jason's pleas went unheard as the gnashing teeth drew closer, his family burning, tormented by everything he'd lost, everything he would lose…

KER-THWOOOSH!

The flames were blown away, the villains were blown away, the dark and pain and fear were all blown away at once. Jason was in a wide green field, laying down on the cool, soft grass. The sun was bright overhead, so bright, and there was a white cape below a mess of slicked-back blond hair, fist raised up, turning with the biggest smile, the sun bright...so bright…

"-ke up! Jason!" So…

"Bright…" Jason mumbled, his eyes fluttering open, a flashlight checking his pupils. It went away, revealing Dirge and Star-Strong leaning over him worriedly.

"Max!" he cried, jumping up to desperately hug the giant, gently returned.

"Easy, easy. It's ok now." Star-Strong said softly.

"Y-You came for me. You really c-came." Jason said, his voice breaking.

"I'd promised I'd never let you go through that again, didn't I?" he said with a grin.

"Y-Yeah. You did." Jason said. He wiped his eyes. Wouldn't do to cry in front of Dirge, after all.

"You alright, kid?" Dirge asked.

"I think so." he said, flexing his fingers and switching forms to a table, a salt shaker, and a small horse. His head was all jumbled, fragments of scenes in between black, but it was clearing up. "I-I was shot."

"That you were. Scared the life outta me." Star-Strong said. They both looked down at the bullethole in his shirt, fresh pink skin underneath. Jason's eyes were wide.

"I was shot. But...but I don't think that matters any more." he said in wonder, it clicking for him at last. Star-Strong grabbed his shoulder, feeling around.

"Yep, bullet's still in there. Not even a scratch on you, though."

"Do we...do we get it out?" Jason asked. Star-Strong shook his head.

"No point. It's healed up now, best just leave it be. It's not gonna kill you, that's for sure." he said with a wink. Jason groaned.

"Maybe our hosts have some answers." Dirge said casually, and Ando with the rest of his team froze, surreptitiously moving for the door.

"Go!" Ando bellowed, and the gang bolted deeper underground. Star-Strong growled and got to his feet, but Dirge put his hand up.

"Nah, let me handle 'em. You two take the elevator up to the big man's office and settle it there. I'll get them and the doc. Give 'im one for me, and tell him I quit, would you?" he said.

"Will do!" Star-Strong gave a thumbs-up. Dirge returned it as he stalked off, a tiger after his prey. "Well, partner? Wanna go take down the man responsible for all this?" he asked Jason as the boy put on his jacket and goggles.

"Hell yeah. Let's do this!" Jason said as he slipped on his mask, and Morph was ready to go.

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"M-Mr. Ando! We can't fight Dirge!" Bladeshift wailed as they ran, skidding around the corner in a mad exodus to the next lab. Ando took the time to fire some grenades at the pursuing hero, but Dirge had options Max didn't.

"HAH! WAH! TAH!" Concussive bursts of sound shattered the projectiles before they could even get close, not even splattering the rockstar as he nimbly leapt over the puddles of goo. Ando cursed.

"Your powers weren't designed to counter his. Run!" Abandoning the heavy gun, the group sprinted to the recombination lab, the security door slamming down after them.

"There's an escape tunnel to the abandoned warehouse district. It'll be a ways away, but it's our only chance." Ando said. He wiped his brow. He hadn't had to sweat like this in years.

"What about Bounce and Rock Solid?" Artillery said quietly.

"A most unfortunate circumstance, but they'll be left behind, yes yes." Dr. Thunder said, coming over. "My team has finished transferring all data we've been working on, we lose only the samples here. A shame, and a fortune lost, but Mr. Knightsbridge has issued a total evacuation."

"Makes sense." Ando grunted.

"Wait, but...what about Vic and Eddie?" 2-D pressed. Ando couldn't meet his eyes.

"That's the name of the game, kid. As long as they don't talk, they'll survive the slammer." he said.

"That's-" Whatever 2-D was going to say was interrupted by the security door violently vibrating.

"Dirge!"

"Eh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Dr. Thunder cackled. "Mr. Knightsbridge has chosen to deploy the S.B.W. we've developed! Even as a prototype, it's more than capable of erasing every last so-called hero here!" Ando paled.

"You mean that thing in the basement!?" he shrieked.

"Indeed! Subject N is ready!" Ando stared in shock at the diminutive doctor, then glanced at the three boys left. He shook his head; the situation was officially sideways, and there wasn't much he could do if boss was going scorched-earth. The security door buckled.

"Right." Ando went over to the wall and pressed the hidden switch. The wall slid open, revealing a long, narrow passage. "This will lead you to the escape tunnel. Take this there, don't wait for me." he said, shoving his charges into it.

"But what about-" 2-D began. Ando kicked him down the passage.

"GO!" he ordered.

"Don't mind if I do, Mr. Ando! Be careful, the lab can be dangerous!" Dr. Thunder snickered as he hobbled down the path.

"What about you!?" 2-D said as Bladeshift dragged him away. Ando smiled.

"This's the big time, boys." he said sadly, closing the door.

He turned, drawing his gun as the security door shattered, Dirge stepping through the wreckage. Without a word he opened fire, but the hero ducked behind one of the tables.

"Look, this's ending for you guys bad enough. Why make it worse?" Dirge called, his voice loud enough to eco everywhere. Masking his movements.

"Always wanted a shot at you, Dirge!" Ando said through gritted teeth. He peered over the table. Sure enough, the rocker was gone.

He spun, his trigger finger only restrained by years of discipline. The hero was nowhere to be seen among the tables of half-finished experiments, beakers, and computer screens. Ando narrowed his eyes and started to pace through the rows of tables, straining his ears for a whisper of movement.

Not that it helped. Dirge could counter soundwaves by humming at the same frequency, allowing him to be totally silent as he snuck up on the hapless enforcer.

"Boo."

"YAAHH!" Ando swung his gun around, but Dirge caught his arm and laid a left hook across his face, stunning him. The rocker pushed him up against a table.

"Now I got good ears, and heard what you were saying. Where's the doc? And what's so special 'bout Subject N?" he demanded. Ando just shook his head.

"It's a monster, and I can't believe Knightsbridge will let it out in the city limits."

"What kinda-"

"GWRAAAAAAAAAWR!"

The building shook and trembled. Both men peered down the corridor, deeper into the subterranean labs.

"It's loose." Ando whimpered. Dirge ground his teeth, weighing his options. He was an expert on sonics and reverbs. Whatever that was, it was big.

"You know what's good for ya, you'll turn yourself in." he growled, releasing Ando. He turned, swigging from his water bottle; he had a feeling he was gonna need it.

Ando meanwhile, watched one of the only three people who knew about MetaTech's misdeeds just turn his back. Grunting with effort, he swung his gun up as quickly as he could. That was his mistake. Dirge had good ears, after all.

"HAAH!" Dirge blasted a sonic shout back at Ando. The bullet of sound slammed into the man, driving him up over the table and sprawling out behind it. Dirge moved on without a second glance.

"Ugh…" Ando felt like he'd been worked over with a bat. He reached up, using the table to get to his unsteady feet. However, his hand slipped, knocking over one of the beakers.

"Ow! Ah!" It fell on his head, splashing him with chemicals. Muttering curses, he reached up to wipe it off...then it started burning. "Ah, ah! Aaaaugh! Help! Ahh! Ow! OW! AAAHH!"

The building rumbled again, no one noticing Ando's panicked scrambling and cries for help as the fluid seared his skin, stumbling around until his head smashed into a canister labelled GENETIC SAMPLE. Mercifully, he was knocked out. However, the canister was broken open, leaking its contents directly over top of him. Drip. Drip. Drip.