Omega Magnus stands in front of Commissioner Christine Keith. The sarcastic nature that criminals know and dread is gone. Magnus stands there with an angry and serious look on his face.
"Ah, the vigilante." Keith says with a nervous tone, "You realize breaking and entering is a crime punishable by law."
"Says the pathetic excuse of a corrupt commissioner who's funding, equipping and accepting tribute payments from every criminal scumbag in the city!" Magnus shouts.
"So your the Benefactor huh?"
"In a way, yes." replies the commissioner, "Do you realize that without crime in this sorry excuse for a city, people like me are considered irrelevant in the eyes of normal peasants and ingrates that refuse to respect me for doing something? I give the police purpose! I keep money going in their pockets! We are respected for protecting the city! I am this city's shining light, the means of making this pathetic city mean something!"
Magnus is even more angrier after hearing those words.
"So many dead!" Magnus shouts in fierce anger, "Police officers, civilians, criminals! I saw a young boy become an orphan a few days back!"
"Collateral damage." the commissioner replies without a shred of remorse, "Sacrifices must me made in order to achieve the true balance this city deserves. Of course people won't like it, but they have no choice. We are the law, and they must abide by our law."
"That's why I'm terminating your employment." Magnus proclaims.
Keith gives a smirk of a smile after Magnus' remarks.
"If you make it out alive..."
The second she says those words, out on the balcony, rappels down a team of seven armed soldiers. They're heavily armed, well equipped and by the looks of it, they're heavily trained. They're dressed in black, fully clothed in tactical gear and cavalier with headgear covering their faces. They sport M4 assault rifles and have 9mm Glocks holstered on their belts. Clearly they mean business.
With Magnus facing the soldiers, Commissioner Keith heads quickly to the door.
"There the Federal Police's SWAT team. The best this country has to offer." The commissioner proudly proclaims, "Of course the Feds no nothing of our schemes, but they don't like vigilantes like we do."
With that, Christine Keith makes her escape.
The armed SWAT team advances towards Magnus with their rifles at the ready.
Bullets flare. All deflected. The soldiers converging on Magnus from all corners.
They may be highly trained like himself, but Magnus has the slight edge with his speed and strength.
The soldiers advance towards Magnus.
Two soldiers are disarmed by Magnus with a swift downward elbow strike to one and a round kick to the other.
One fires from behind. Magnus deflects the bullet back into the rifle. Another soldier disarmed.
A disarmed guard lunges forward. He's taken down with a hip toss.
Another disarmed guard comes from the side. He's sent flying to the other side of the office with a side kick to the chest.
The third disarmed guard narrowly misses Magnus with a forward knife thrust. He's taken out with a karate chop to the neck.
The next three decide to fire from a distance. Narrowly avoiding the gunfire, Magnus pulls out his dual blasters from his belt holsters.
12 shots fired from Magnus, all rubber pellet rounds. One to each shoulder, disarming them. One to each knee, bringing them down. And finally one to each of their heads, taking them out.
Magnus holsters his dual blasters.
Nothing more effective than aiming for the vital areas.
Only one left. It's been more difficult that the petty criminals Magnus is used to, but so far, no trouble. As Magnus goes to grab the last remaining soldier, the soldier narrowly dodges with lightning speed. Then Magnus feels a knee to the gut, followed by a double axe handle to the back, bringing him to one knee. But he recovers with a forward roll, facing the soldier.
But the soldier comes forward with alternating punches, with Magnus blocking each one, but falls victim to a swift kick to his left leg, followed by a spinning back kick sending Magnus to the wall.
Magnus being backed towards a wall, the soldier comes forward with a flying right hand.
Magnus avoids it by rolling. The soldier turns towards him. Magnus lands a spinning round kick to the head.
The soldier collapses to one knee. His helmet flies off.
At that moment, Magnus froze.
He knows that soldier from anywhere.
Even though he hadn't seen him as much as he wanted to.
"Dad?"
The soldier is surprised by Magnus' sudden response.
"Hey Steven." says the soldier.
The very soldier Magnus had been fighting is the father of Steven Lockyer. His name is Dallas Lockyer, a highly decorated soldier in the Australian Army before being recruited into the debuting Australian Secret Intelligence Agency in the 1980's. A highly skilled soldier in all forms of combat, he was originally known as Delta Magnus, the latter part of the name Steven would take up two years ago. Dallas had not been around much in Steven's life after his wife mysteriously died, choosing to dedicate himself to his work in an attempt to fight the trauma he had suffered. Dallas entrusted his younger sister, Stefani to raise Steven in his stead, seeing him from time to time whenever he had the chance. Steven had resented his father from time to time, but held out hope that he could form a loving relationship with his father and really get to know him.
"Why?" Magnus shouted, "Why are you with them? You know what they're doing! You know what they're planning to do!"
"A soldier does what he's ordered." Dallas replies, "I'm a soldier Steven. All I ever did in my life was serve this country and it's government. Following orders is what a soldier does. It's not my place to ask why. I'm just a chess piece, nothing more. I'm just doing the only thing I know how to do."
"You don't have to do this!" shouts Magnus, "There's more to life than just following orders from corrupt bureaucrats! You control your own life! You control your own destiny! Surely you can see that!"
Dallas stands up for a moment, then proceeds to sit on a nearby chair.
"I'm glad I left you with Stefani." says Dallas, "She did a far better job raising you than I ever could."
"I know you miss mum." Magnus replies, "I wish I could've known her, I wish we could've been a family. But it wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself."
Dallas blames himself for his wife's death. Her name was Gladys, a special forces operative. Dallas loved her so much. He would've given anything for her. Magnus was told that she died on a mission, and Dallas had carried the guilt ever since.
"Did you tell Commissioner Keith who I am?" Magnus asks,
"No, we're just bodies, they don't care about us." Dallas answers, "They're only interested in results."
"Dad..."
"What?"
"You can help me put an end to all this."
"I don't know..."
For the first time in a long time, Dallas is thinking for himself. He's given the opportunity to make his own choice.
Magnus extends his right hand to his father.
"Forget about what your superiors want to accomplish. Think about what you want to accomplish." Magnus pleas, "Think about mum... Think about Aunty Stefani... You still have a family to fight for. That's an accomplishment."
With tears streaming from his eyes, his emotional barriers being taken down, Dallas smiles, takes his son's right hand and pulls him into an embracing hug.
"I'm so sorry." Dallas cries out, "Forgive me."
"What's there to forgive?" Magnus replies, "You did everything for me, for Aunty Stefani, and for mum."
Dallas steps back from hugging his son, and begins to wipe away the tears from his eyes.
"So who are we after?" Dallas asks,
"Christine Keith is the Benefactor, this ledger here is the proof." Magnus answers.
"That Sergeant?"
"In her pocket, but that's it."
"Never liked the guy anyway."
"We've got Max Kade on the loose, he's in Keith's pocket. But we can deal with him as well."
"Alright, so what now?"
"We'll head to the Magnus Lair and start planning."
"The Magnus Lair? What are you? Five years old?"
"Shut up!"
The two head out of the precinct via the balcony and head for the Magnus Lair.
"EJ, coming home. We've got a guest coming, it's my father." Magnus says via radio.
"Hurry back! We've got a major problem!" EJ replies.
Both Magnus and Dallas return to the Magnus Lair. With the assault vehicle still being worked on, Magnus has to rely on his assault bike. The two walk towards the computer with EJ going over some files.
"Is that Elizabeth?" Dallas asks,
"Yeah." Magnus answers.
"Are you two?"
"No! Just friends and partners in crime."
"That's a shame."
"Now you're sounding like her when she brought up Ariel."
"Ariel's around?"
"Yeah, met up at the charity ball a while back. We talked, we danced, then Kade hit the centre."
"You danced with Ariel? I'm proud of you! Damn, I'm surprised you didn't share a kiss."
"Shut up! She gave me a kiss on the cheek, but that's it!"
"Well you're getting there."
"Give me a break!"
They reach the computer area. EJ looks up. Looking surprised, she runs to Dallas and gives him a hug.
"Mr. Lockyer!" EJ proclaims happily, "I haven't seen you in a while!"
"Same here." Dallas replies, "Thanks for looking after Steven."
"Oh he's a handful." EJ says with a strained look on her face.
"What's wrong EJ?" asks Magnus,
"There's something I need to show you." answers EJ
She bring up a recording of the breaking news update that was broadcast an hour ago along with a bunch of online news articles and social media posts. Magnus freezes in shock.
The reports state that both the Lord Mayor Charles Damian, and the famous artist and novelist Ariel Queen had been kidnapped a few hours ago, and that both are being held hostage by the infamous mercenary Max Kade. They also read a statement letter that was issued at the place where Ariel was abducted. It says that Max Kade will release Charles Damian and Ariel Queen under the condition that Omega Magnus comes to the South Bank Piazza and faces him in a battle of the ages. If Omega Magnus doesn't appear with three hours after the message is read, he will kill both Charles Damian and Ariel Queen.
Magnus punches the wall in anger, putting a hole in the rocky wall.
"NO!" Magnus shouts,
"It has to be a trap!" EJ replies,
"I have no choice!" says Magnus, "I can't let Ariel die!"
"They'll have an ambush set up nearby." Dallas mentions, "No doubt that commissioner and sergeant are pulling the strings. Kidnapping the Lord Mayor as well obviously tells us that both Keith and Carter now see the mayor as a threat, given that he's basically given you his support."
"I'm going now after Kade! Can you handle the ambush?" Magnus asks Dallas,
"No problem. I'll also see if they're more surprises waiting." Dallas answers,
"EJ, locate Commissioner Keith and that Sergeant." Magnus asks EJ, "I'm going after them after I rescue Ariel and the mayor."
"You don't suppose Keith and Carter are at the Piazza, do you?" asks EJ,
"Not when they can be someone else putting their feet up." answers Magnus. "They're desk jockeys, especially Carter since he's too much of a coward to get into a fight."
"Alright, I'll let you know when I get something." EJ replies. "Just keep a clear head, okay? You can't risk Ariel and the mayor getting hurt."
Moments later, Omega Magnus and Dallas ride towards the Piazza. Dallas has his own bike this time. Magnus simply gave Dallas his old assault bike that he set aside after upgrading to his current one. It looks more like a sports bike and less of a tactical one, but it does it's job.
"I'll cut along this road." Dallas shouts as he turns off the main road.
Magnus continues along and eventually reaches the Piazza. The inside of the Piazza looks like a modern Roman amphitheater but with a roof and with more of an open approach in regards to outdoor staging. Looking around the area, he spots Max Kade walking through the tunnel, and stops just at the entrance to the tunnel.
"Omega Magnus! Welcome!" proclaims Kade, "So glad you can make it!"
"Where's Ariel and the mayor?!" shouts Magnus.
Max Kade stands in between two objects on either side, both being covered by white sheets.
Kade pulls the cover off on his left, there sits the Lord Mayor Charles Damian, tied up and gagged. He is only dressed in slacks and a white shirt, his hair all messed up and sporting a few bruises on his face.
Kade pulls off the cover on his right next, there sits Ariel tied to a chair with her mouth gagged. She wears a beautiful red designer dress, with a beautiful veil at the bottom. Tears stream from her eyes as if fearing for her life.
"Let them go!" shouts Magnus, "This is between you and me!"
"Sure!" proclaims Kade, "Just beat me, and they can go."
"Been there, done that! Hell, I'm pretty sure you left the charity ball with your manhood crushed."
"Shut it! This will be my crowning achievement!" proclaims Kade, "You humiliated me two years ago! That ends today! All criminals, mercenaries and terrorists will bow before the man who defeated the all-powerful Omega Magnus."
"Like hell that would happen." Magnus laughs, "You're nothing but a show-off! All bark, no bite! What makes you think you can spark fear in the eyes of this city!"
"I will show you!" shouts Kade, "Rejoice Omega Magnus, this is the beginning of a long glorious war for this city!"
The two assume fighting stance.
Omega Magnus, the vigilante. Max Kade, The mercenary.
Kade fights for fame and glory, Magnus fights for the city and its people.