John entered the litter strewn garage area on the ground floor of Jasper's building. The Cadillac was sitting just as the heroes had left it. John smiled as walked to the machine, to John there were few things in this world better than an old American made classic.

John started up the old car and rubbed the steering wheel with care.
"Which way is this junk yard with military hardware in it?"

John took a second to locate another cigar and stuck it in his mouth as he put the pedal down and the long white machine roared out of the parking area.

McManus did not like the idea of moving out in the open with the cops just a few blocks over, but Jasper's theory about the robo originating from the industrial scrap yard made sense, If the robo was an intelligent machine that was bent on mayhem but programmed for survival then the scrap yard with it's rusting tanks and jeeps and such would be a fine place to procure a suit of bullet proof armor.

John thought about the machine and it's tough metal hide, it was not merely a covering, the machine was actually made from the military grade steel. John wondered what kind of maniac would create such a machine and turn it loose on a poor, working class neighborhood.

Most of all John wondered what had become of the head, who had snatched it in the darkness? John McManus did like not knowing who the enemy was nor did he enjoy not knowing what their game was.

John turned to Jasper and inquired about the run down scrap yard.

"They got any security posted at this joint? Any night watchman or dogs or anything like that?"

John shook his head as he thought about dogs, how he hated fighting with dogs, a few times RAID had set their highly trained dogs on him and hated every minute of it.

"I hate dogs..." John grunted as he remembered.

The street rat had been quiet since the battle with the robot thing. His mind was spinning with conflicts tangled within fear. He'd already exposed himself in front of everyone but at the same time, he just couldn't sit back and let innocents die or be hurt. Now it was only worse when he considered these two. The had taken him in, shown him kindness despite the risk to themselves. There was no way he could let them go it alone now. As he looked out into the fading light, the shadows almost seemed to call to him. For a moment, he found himself surprised at how they had come to look like home.

"Don't worry about security," said Fyedka finally, his voice quiet and a little hoarse with fatigue. "I'll take care of them and try to give you a clear path." There was a pause in which he sighed quietly, turning his eyes to the his feet. "I should warn you guys," he said, suddenly speaking slower, as though he were pulling the words out from some very deep, hidden place. "Your hanging around me may put you guys in danger. I . . . I think earlier when I . . . used my powers in public like that, in front of all those people, I may have made things a little worse. If . . . If I have to cut and run at some point, just . . . I'm just doing it to protect you. I don't want you guys to think I abandoned you or don't, ya know, appreciate what you've done for me and all."

Slowly, Fyedka raised his head and studied the backs of their heads, the narrow reflections of their brows in the rearview mirror. Despite the maelstrom going on in his mind, his expression was solid, honest, prepared to accept whatever reaction they would have to this, even if it was booting him from the car or a brutally honest commentary about how he'd put all of those other people at risk by trying to protect himself.

Markus Dollonovich was staring at the surprisingly clear cellphone photos of three metas duking it out with a 15 foot tall humanoid robot. Dollonovich nodded at the photos, he could make out McManus clear as day, there was not doubt, the photos clearly revealed his metal hand and over sized mech leg. Markus smiled as he studied the unidentified well dressed meta with the smart looking hat.

"An unregistered Irish one, huh...." He muttered as he studied the prints.

In one photo it looked as if a dark mist was closing in around the robot and the Irishman and John. Fyedkah was not in the photo, but Dollonovich knew of him and knew something about his powers.

"Romanov...it is you." The intel was bittersweet for Markus, what would his father think?, his only son had become a federal agent and now spent his time hunting other Russians and Russian-Americans who for the most part had commited no real criminal acts.

If Dollonovich's father was still alive he would give his son an earful about loyalty and love for one's countrymen.

Markus' thoughts went back to the robot, the photos showed American military insignias and other details that would indicate that the machine's armature was stolen or purchased via the black market. Markus swung over to his computer and ticked on the keyboard, his search returned a few military storage areas on the South side but none had any armored hardware or vehicles. His search returned a news blurb about the D.O.D. facility break in and the theft of undisclosed classified items. According to the story whatever was stolen was small and unimportant. Dollonovich continued to search, his screen filled with a localized map of the neighborhood where the robot was seen damaging the apartment buildings, a bit of intel popped on screen, revealing the military/industrial scrap yard just blocks from the robot's location.

Dollonovich made note of the address as he walked swiftly downstairs to the F.B.I. parking garage and got into his car and drove in the direction of the scrapyard.

Jasper looked back at his iPhone then back to John. "It dun say anything about security, but in this neighborhood a man would be a fool not to 'ave it, so I'd expect the worst, Mack."

When the shady kid in the back seat mentioned he'd take care of any security, Jasper nodded but didn't say anything. Not wanting to give him a hard time he just bit his tongue and looked out the window. Then we gave his spiel about placing them in danger by just being around him, Jasper audibly laughed.

"Aye, thanks for the warning there, 'Shady', but don't ya think you'd a been kicked ta the curb already if we were worried about ya puttin' us in danger? I've been on the run most o' me life and from the sounds of it, John's never stopped, so you just don't worry about us now."

Jasper then turned right around and looked in Fyedka's eyes. "And don't go feedin' me that crap about duckin' out to protect us. If'n ya dun want ta stand your ground then don't, but don't use us as an excuse.", he told him, then flipped forward once more, "But if'n yer in trouble all ya need do is ask for help." the fellow meta mentioned as he glanced out his window.

"There it is Mack." Jasper announced, pointing to the old sign on the side of a chain link fence topped with razor wire, "Sergeant's Scrap Yard, and it looks like this is the place." he said gesturing to the hole in the fence, which looked like it had been torn apart by a speeding vehicle or a giant robot.

Fyedka blinked and his lip curled at the Irishman's response.

Well, Fyedka, he thought to himself, that's what you get for underestimating people. Despite being put in his place, it mostly just made him feel better. As they pulled up to the junkyard and saw at the gaping hole in the fence, Fyedka's eyes automatically began darting around the shadows looking for any sign of movements. The falling sun would only give him more ammunition, all he needed was to hold up the strength to wield it. When he saw nothing, Fyedka tentatively pulled on the handle and cracked the door open. It had become instinct for him to pause and listen before creeping out of a hidey hole but the air was still and silent. After a second, the Russian meta slipped silently through the door and pushed it quietly shut. Moving immediately out of the light and ducking back into the shadows, Fyedka moved toward the fence and paused again at the opening, intently scanning the darkness and keeping his ears pricked.

John drove slowly past the chain link and razor wire fence, there was a sizable hole in the chain link where the robo had passed through. John pulled the car into a dark part of the alleyway and put it in park. Fyedka slipped out of the vehicle, the young Russian was silent as a mouse as he headed for the shadows.

John stepped from the car, it creaked as the beefy mechanic planted his large mech leg onto the asphalt. John could see the deep impressions that the machine had left in the surrounding soil and blacktop, there was no doubt that the robo had come from this scrapyard.

In his typical non stealth style John walked to the hole in the fence and entered the premises. There were many kind of scrap in this yard, a lot of old cars and car parts, some aircraft parts and last but not least a small grid of stripped down military vehicle shells. There were a few lights on some of the out buildings that surrounded the heaps of scrap, but beyond that there was not much light to see by.

"This sure as hell is the place Irish, look at all this beautiful metal in here." John said quietly.

John looked around for Fyedka, he could not see the young man but he felt that the long haired meta was very comfortable in dark places.

"I guess we won't worry about the kid, I got a feeling he's in his element in here." John said cranking his head around in the dark rows of rusting steel and iron.

"Check it out JB, an old 48 Ford pickup, my pop had one like that..." John pointed to the half crushed hulk in front of them, only it's bumper and grill were still recognizable.

"I'll have to take your word on that one, Mack." Said Jasper as he curiously studied the remains of the old truck. His pale eyes then looked out into the shadows, "Wonder where our Russian friend as toddled of ta?"

As Joy Buzzer wandered about the yard he spun his cane about. There was a lot of metal, a lot of conductors and he could feel the energy surging through him. In order to regulate it, he had developed the habit of releasing some of it through the motion of his cane, but he held on to more than enough to light up a city block. Just like Mack, Joy Buzzer was drawn to the metal, but for far different reasons.

Strolling aside the giant man, Joy Buzzer felt safer than he had in a while but he wasn't about to throw caution to the wind. He kept his senses open and searched the dark corners for signs of movement, just in case there were more robotic things lurking about.

"So, d'ya think there are more o' those things?" he asked the mechanic, "I kinda got the feelin' that giant didn'a care too much 'bout what it destroyed, just that it could, if ya get me meaning. Sort a like it was making a point, but robots dun make points, people do."

As Jasper rambled on as was his usual custom, he strayed a ways from John, inspecting the wrecks and scraps that were organized in neat rows. It was when he rounded the corner of yet another lane of old military vehicles that he spied some interesting. "Hey, Mack!" he called.

It seemed that Jasper had found ground zero. There was a large gap in one of the rows, as if some titan had taken a bit out of it and the tell tale foot prints of the robot were evident even in the dim light.

Oscuro entered a long bank of shadows against the office building in the scrapyard, this time the masked man was traveling light, he moved swiftly through the shade appearing at the far end of it in an instant. He sprinted swiftly and silently to another long block of darkness and vanished into the inky black.

Oscuro was moving quickly through the rows of cars and other vehicles, he was covering a lot of ground with amazing speed and stealth. As the man in the black mask and urban military fatigues came close to where his robot had acquired it's hardware a few hours earlier he could hear some men speaking quietly.

Oscuro stayed hidden in the shadows that he had just traveled through, the villains meta powers allowed him to use shadow like a dimensional door, inside this doorway Oscuro was all but undetectable. Oscuro moved through the dark, slower now, he was close to Jasper and John now. He could make out their outlines in the darkness.

He crouched and listened to the two men, why were they here? Oscuro had come back to the scrapyard to determine if there was a better grade of hardware which to use for his robot, the test run had been a success in his mind and was eager to rebuild his machine. Oscuro watched the men, John walked slowly across a dim sliver of light between the rows of metal. Oscuro recognized the big man from the media coverage of his capture and escape from RAID custody.

Oscuro did not know the other man, he carried a cane and wore a dark hat, but Oscuro could gather that he too was a meta of some sort. Oscuro was as excited as kid on Christmas as he observed the two men walking through the rows, his violent and masochistic nature were getting the best of him as decided to attack the two men. Oscuro was eager to duke it out with the famous McManus, a giant of a man and a known kicker of asses , the masked man was also giddy at the thought of tangling with the mysterious man in the hat, who was he? And what were his gifts?

Oscuro moved through the shadows, faster now as he came within a few yards of Jasper. The villain sprang from the shadows at a full sprint, there was not many people as fast as Oscuro in the shadows or in the light. Oscuro launched himself at Jasper, hoping to surprise the hero as he slipped his arm around Jasper's neck from behind him.

"Looks like this be where that giant heap a garbage originated." Figured Jasper, scratching his temple with the end of his cane. He was even more confused now.

"Y'know, Mack. I kinda a expected to find some sort a hidden laboratory or something." Jasper said disappointedly, "Guess I've been readin' too many comic books.... arrrrgh!"

Out of no where a black clad arm slipped around his throat from behind and Jasper could feel the weight of a body press against his back. Instantly he resisted and grabbed hold of his attacker's wrist. Gripping the gloved hand he attempted to tear it away but his attacker seemed stronger than normal. Jasper, possessed of what was commonly referred to as 'meta-strength', should have been able to out muscle a man of his assailant's apparent size and weight but the hold continued tighten. That's when Jasper panicked.

Oscuro could feel a strange tingling sensation run across his flesh. It felt unmistakably like a static charge running across his clothing, then the feeling penetrated his body. The paralyzing grip of low voltage seized the masked man's muscles as Jasper released just enough volt-amps to start to cook his opponent. It was actually the natural way that his body disposed of his excess energy, a trait that prevented the mutant from having normal relationships until he learned to control it. Still, with adrenaline rushing through his body it required concentration to maintain. Too much, juice and he would arc, blasting his opponent free clear of the charge, albeit somewhat stunned. That wasn't the idea though. The game was to keep the attacker immobilized and take advantage of the giant bruiser next to him.

"If ya would be so kind, Mack." Wheezed Jasper, prompting the big man to put his fists to use.

John jumped a little as Oscuro seemed to just materialize behind Jasper, he popped into view from the darkness and immediately began to choke Jasper in a military neck hold. John could feel Jasper charging up, the air around the three of them became still, a subtle crackling hum could be heard.

Oscuro tensed up, his choke hold was weakening as Jasper ran a current through the masked man. Oscuro's mind was screaming at his arms to move and to release the Irishman but his arms were not responding.

"If ya would be so kind Mack." Jasper said through clenched teeth.

John took a step towards the two men, his metal fist was swinging like a wrecking ball. John had stepped to Jasper's side so that he could pop the masked villain without slugging his friend in the process. The punch landed smoothly into the center of Oscuro's black ski mask, the man snapped back, released Jasper and fell back into the dark patch of shadows. John moved swiftly into the dark area, ready to continue the match. The punch was like getting hit with an aluminum bat, and right in the kisser, usually a hit like this was all it took for your average mutt. John had a feeling that the man in the fatigues was down but not out.

John went to where the man should have landed but could not locate him, he seemed to have vanished in the darkness.

"What the hell!? I know I rang this guys bell, there is no way he just got up and...."

CLANG!
A long piece of an exhaust manifold swung at John from nowhere and blasted him upside the head. The big man shifted to the side from the blow, his massive leg keeping him from falling on his ass. A stout muffler at the end of the manifold acted like a giant hand, slapping the mechanic again.

"That's gonna cost you." The mechanic growled as the long piece of metal vanished into the dark.

Joy Buzzer fell to the ground, rolled and spun around in time to see his attacker vanish into shadow. "Heh, neat trick. Think maybe we're being attacked by Cirque de Soliel?" Quipped the Irishman, his voice still raspy from the hold.

That's when he saw a dark blob of shadow amass behind, John and a black clad figure emerged from it wielding of all things an exhaust manifold.

"Look out...."

WHAM!

Jasper's warning was too late and then the figure was gone again. The hit was hardly enough to seriously injure the mechanic, but it sure pissed him off.

"So that's how this bloke want's ta fight, hey? What's the matter, don't have the minerals to face us out right?" The electrical meta taunted as he rose to his feet his eyes darting about.

Joy Buzzer then spun his cane quickly and blue electrical charges flashed in the dark as he held it high above his head. "What say we fight in the light!".

Jasper looked over to John, "Watch yer eyes, Mack." he told him, then the mutant generated a massive charge of power producing a phenomena known as ball lightening at the end of his cane. The light was intense. A blinding cool white orb hung in the air like a micro sun above Jasper, hovering there as he pulled his cane away. Held in place from a magnetic field he was able to produce from all the scrap metal around them. Junk yards were like playgrounds for the electrical meta.

"Where are ya!" Shouted Joy Buzzer, "Com 'on out and show yourself!"

Oscuro was blinking from place to place in the darkness, as his powers allowed, as he traveled back and forth in the dark he carried the long piece of the exhaust system like a baseball bat. He swung it like a pro ball player hoping to connect with Jasper or John. He was preparing to swing again when Jasper lit the place up like midday.

Oscuro was crouched low in the blinding light, as the shadows shrank from the bright orb Oscuro traveled with them. When Oscuro was using his powers he seemed to blend with them, he could blend and travel at will, as long as the villain remained mentally alert and in good physical health he could slip away into the dark in an instant.

This did not mean that the meta was immune to all harm while cloaked, while most physical attacks did not seem to slow Oscuro down while he was cloaked, he was open to attacks of focused energy or other power while using his 'cloaking' powers. The trick was to catch the man at just the right time, and Oscuro, even without his meta abilities was in great physical shape and as fast as they come.

Jasper could not know how close the villain was, just beyond the edge of his crackling field of white light. Oscuro smiled at the beautiful display, the man was impressed by the power that Jasper had at his finger tips. He thought the Irishman was wasting his time playing hero, he should join the 'other' side and use his powers to wage war against meta goodie -goodies and the corrupt government. Oscuro's cause was something along the lines of this, that and creating chaos and making some serious cold, hard cash.

Oscuro could smell the electricity and the heat in the area all around them, the Irishman wasn't even breaking a sweat, he made it look so easy.

Over time, Jasper had learned how to conserve his energy, channeling the electricity around him without having to tax his body. It took focus, but despite his apparent lackadaisical nature, the electrical meta had worked hard to hone his abilities. He had to, for without control he would have perished a long time ago from his own power.

Jasper, moved slowly away from John, moving the big man to the fringe of the electrical orb's light radius, maximizing what he assumed was a safe zone between them. Of course, he had no idea, if this 'shadow-man' was effected by the light at all, it just seemed a sound theory.

'Where was he? How could he remain unseen and move so silently?', Jasper wondered, and where the hell was Fyedka? That kid was some kind of shadow master himself, they sure could use him.

Indeed, the young Russian would be an asset in the battle, but Jasper didn't realize that his bright light would only thwart any efforts he would attempt. Still, they could use him nonetheless. Their opponent not only seemed to be able melt in and out of shadow, but he was fast and strong, easily surpassing Jasper's own heightened attributes. He could strike at any moment, leaving little time for the two meta-heroes to react.

As Jasper's eyes searched the shadows of the old vehicles that surrounded them, he couldn't help but remember a story he had heard just the other day. Jimmy, a pawn shop owner that he occasionally dealt with had brother named Smith. A typical goon who had mentioned that he was coming into some big money making a simple delivery for some masked nut job. The guy didn't spook easily but he was creeped out by the way the guy moved, like he seemed to vanish momentarily when he stepped into the shadows. Smith had just thought it was his eyes playing tricks on him, but know Jasper suspected otherwise. This had to be the guy that Jimmy's brother was dealing with. Just how many guys wearing black masks who moved through shadows likes doors could there be?

Something caught, Jasper's eye! It appeared for a second as if the shadows in the peripheral vision of his left eye grew darker. It might have been just his imagination playing tricks on him, but Joy Buzzer wasn't taking any chances.

Jasper leaped to the side, back toward John spinning in the air. The bright orb moved with him, and as he turned pointed his cane down the alley of scrap metal as if it were a magic wand. Instantly, two heavy vehicles opposite one another on each side of the narrow lane began to vibrate. Faint blue bolts of electricity surged between the two metal heaps and there was the sound of twisting metal.

BOOM!

The two old vehicles slammed together, sealing off the lane as a powerful magnetic field literally pulled them toward one another with crushing force. For a moment, Jasper's eyes seemed to pulsate with a glow, and face looked strained. Sweat beaded his brow for the excursion of producing such a strong field, but Joy Buzzer was far from drained. He didn't for a moment believe he could be so lucky as to trap their attacker but he at least hoped that the example of his power would discourage their opponent. He had his doubts. Already, the electrical mutant was preparing to defend himself from another blind-siding attack.

A quiet rustling of leaves blew across the ground as spring’s first morning stretched a variety of crimson streaks across a landscape coming to life once again. Bug opened an eye and felt the frost bitten blades of grass pressing against his cheek. Ice glued the composting folliage to his cheek as he looked up and took in his surroundings. Blinking the sting out of his eyes he tried to shake the memories of how he got here back into his head, to no avail.

He stood on shaky limbs and felt the blood start to pump again, but there was little reason to rush, for he had no direction, no barrings and no idea where ‘here’ was. The landscape was long, and flat, something he had never seen here on Earth. All he had ever known was the cities, the darkness of the streets and the constant sounds associated with such places. He knew of this thing called “the country”, many times his best friend John had spoke of things like “sometimes I think it might be best to just buy a little place out in the country and leave the world to fall apart on it’s own” … this must be what he had been talking about.

It was bright, too bright, and there was no place to get into the shade and rest his eyes from the bright morning sun. Bug’s eyes had always been sensitive to light, it had to do with his origins, the planet he came from had a star only half the size of Earth’s, and eve after all these years he simply could not adjust. He blinked instinctually but no matter how many times he blinked the sun stayed as bright.

He flipped his over baggy sweatshirts hood up over his head, tucking and hiding his long tendrils as best he could and re-surveyed his surroundings. He knew the last direction that he and his friends had been heading, and he decided the best thing to do was start moving. The fields seemed to extend forever, but his friend John was all he cared about at this point, and if he had to walk for the rest of his life to find him again, that was what he would do.

Oscuro was getting bored hiding in the dark, he was like a child floating in the shallow end of a swimming pool with a inflatable ring at his waist, the shadows were like water to him he could drift with them if he wished or simply step away.

Jasper's abilities were making contact with the metal around Osuro, the meta was now manipulating the magnetic fields in the rows of junk cars. They shook and jumped at one another, what a show this Irishman was putting on!

Oscuro blinked through the dark and emerged from the border of shadow and into the light right in front of Jasper. Oscuro dropped his exhaust system club and clapped his black gloved hands together as if he was applauding Jasper.

"Good show, sir! You really got something there kid." Oscuro said matter of fact as if he was not just attacking the two heroes only moments before.

"What else can you do? Can you use the magnetic fields to hover or maybe fly?" Oscuro brought a gloved finger to his chin.

"I bet you could charge a large device with that handshake of yours." The masked man seemed almost giddy as he questioned the Irishman.