Episode 3: Smoke and Mirrors

As Malpractice wraps up his efforts to 'repair' Frenchie, Marc Spector returns, and when he sees his loyal henchman laid low, he swears revenge. Together, Crucible, Fenris, Malpractice, and Moon Knight board the Mooncopter and make their way to the abandoned warehouse.

      After landing in a secluded spot, the heroes equip earpiece radio communicators so they can coordinate with each other.  They then split up, Crucible and Malpractice assaulting from the front, and Fenris and Moon Knight searching for a back door.

      As the mayhem begins, Crucible and Malpractice burst into the warehouse, only to find its interior shrouded in a smoky mist, and are immediately set upon by its Armani-clad Oni guardians! 

As battle is joined, the Oni seem to rapidly multiply out of thin air, and it is all Crucible can do to stay in the fight.  To make matters worse, a hidden sniper begins firing plasma blasts at him while he melees the Oni, making a difficult task even more dangerous.  As malpractice spins his vertigo inducing attacks against the onrushing Oni, he is attacked from the mists by another concealed figure wielding a mirror-bright katana!

      Soon, Moon Knight and Fenris leap down into the battle from where they had broken in through the secons story.  Fenris is fired upon by the sniper, and quickly ascertains the blue-skinned woman's location with his powerful senses, peering through the smoky mist as if it weren't even there.  He immediately gives chase to his virulently cursing opponent, disappearing from sight.

      At the same time, the other shrouded figure ascertains her forces are outnumbered and makes her escape by leaping up to the second story, and exiting through the broken window through which Fenris and Moon Knight entered.  Moon Knight immediately gives chase, throwing his grappling hook up to the window and following his quarry out into the night.

      Now badly outnumbered, the last opponent is flushed out, and it is revealed to be the costumed villain, Mysterio!  Mysterio had been using his illusion and hallucinating afflictions to stymie the heroes while his Oni minions and assassin colleagues tried to do the dirty work.

      He is quickly subdued, and as the heroes take stock of the now de-misted warehouse, an agonizing scream is heard over the radio frequncy.  They realize that Moon Knight is nowhere to be found.  Fenris uses his unparalleled senses to track his friend, and after Mystero is secured, they head out after their companion, fearing the worst...


(published June 19, 2014)