The past few weeks since the death of his partner and friend, Brian Johnston, at the hands of a cold-blooded killer, Greg Miller had been in mourning. Sometimes he would just mope around his apartment, thoughts of suicide prevalent on his mind, other times he would take his service revolver out and point it in his mouth or point it at his temples to want to pull the trigger and end his life, just like the killer ended Brian’s.

His wife of several years, Stephanie Miller, would use her womanly ways to soothe him with soft, smooth, and sexual touches. Before he could have participated in the sexual act of foreplay and beyond but now he would have none of it. He couldn’t concentrate on that now. Even though she felt rejected from him, she knew and understood that she would have to wait for him to snap out of it.

He also couldn’t sleep at night. When he would crawl in bed, he would toss and turn and sometimes have to go to the TV room to watch some television to distract his attention. But the news late at night didn’t help any. That would only depress him more.

While Stephanie was asleep, he took out his revolver, not using it on himself that day, donned his leather uniform as Crisis, and exited the apartment complex. He needed to patrol the streets to find more action, something physical to distract his attention.

He left a very weary and forlorn Stephanie Miller.

As he closed the door to his apartment, Crisis saw a note pinned to the door. Someone had been near his apartment and now, he knew that he and Stephanie was in danger.

He pulled the note from the door, unfolded it and read it. It said that a criminal called Dark Magno had teamed up with his old nemesis, the King Snake and the Drug Mutants, and they were setting up shop in Harlem, and furthermore, that Sonik was alive and well. If Crisis wanted to see any of this, he would have to meet them.

Crisis couldn’t believe it. Sonik alive?!? But he saw Brian Johnston shot point-blank. Then, the King Snake must have used his synthetic drugs to revive him. This was too good to be true.

Upon reading the note, he took out his cell phone and called the Sarge, who was out this time, arriving at One Police Plaza in NYC. He relayed to him the specifics of the note and after hanging up, he drove all the way in his car to police headquarters.   

There was a meeting of Code:Blue and the remaining members of the Crisis Project. With Brian Johnston missing, Greg Miller was the only one left.

The Sarge conducted the meeting and relayed the events of the last few days and hours. “Mr. Miller has received a note from a new criminal called Dark Magno that he has teamed up with the King Snake and that Brian Johnston, previously thought dead, was now truly alive and well. This puts hope in our hearts. Crisis will go to meet Dark Magno and the King Snake at the Acme warehouse and Code: Blue will be there as back-up. Stone, is this plan satisfactory to you?”

Stone stood up and addressed the various police officers. “Yes, since I was the one who suggested the last part of that plan. Since Crisis is the only one strong enough to infiltrate Dark Magno’s and the King Snake’s criminal gang, he will be our point-man. How does that sound, Crisis?”

Crisis addressed Stone and the rest of Code: Blue. “I think that is a good plan, Stone. But with my track record, I don’t think I will need back-up, only to arrest the criminals. The King Snake has eluded us so far but we know nothing about this Dark Magno character. He is a loose cannon. We will have to see how he works out and what kind of a threat he will become.”

The large applause. ‘Okay, I will like to get this meeting underway and adjoined. Stone and Code: Blue, get into your tactical wear and go into your van. Crisis, put on your leather outfit and bring whatever weapons you deem necessary. The sooner and the faster we get this over with, the better.”

Gathering his papers, the Sarge nodded and exited the room.

Crisis walked out with Stone and the crowded members of Code: Blue. “I just hope that we do find Sonik this time. I just know that I can’t take this mourning any longer.”

Without another word spoken, Crisis knew that Stone agreed with him.

---

With Code: Blue waiting in tow in their van, Crisis walked down the street, crossing the parking lot to the Acme Warehouse. It was night, a misty fog lingering in the air. There didn’t seem to be anyone near or about the warehouse. He was attired in his black leather uniform, his gun at his side.

“Crisis,” a voice sounded from above him. The super-powered police officer looked to the roof of the warehouse and saw three figures. One person had to be Dark Magno, the other was the King Snake. The third was Sonik. An alive Sonik. He was dressed in a similar leather costume to Crisis. Greg Miller couldn’t believe that his best friend, Brian Johnsten, was alive. It was virtually impossible. Greg thought he was shot point-blank. That was what he had heard from the police report.

“Crisis,” Dark Magno repeated. “You’re probably wondering how your best friend is still alive. The bullet that shot him only knocked him unconscious. We have rebuilt him to make him more powerful than ever. His ‘sonic’ powers are now enhanced, thanks to the King Snake’s synthetic drugs. I have teamed up with the King Snake’s organization. We share the profits.”

“You bastard,” Crisis said. “I oughtta kill you right now for what you have done to Sonik!!” Crisis thought for a minute. “Is he brainwashed to follow your way around?”

“What?? No, why?”

Then, Sonik punched Dark Magno in the mouth and jumped from the roof to the waiting streets below. He landed perfectly on the ground and on his feet. “Good to see you again, pard,” Sonik said.

Dark Magno vaulted in the air and gestured with his arms wildly and violently. Crisis saw that in his arms were horseshoe magnets, hence his name. He had magnetic powers. The horseshoe magnet connected with Crisis’ gun and made it flow onto his hands.

“Prepare to die, asshole!” Dark Magno surmised, as he fired the gun at the fleeing form of Crisis and Sonik. As the bullets flow in the air, both Crisis and Sonik fired blasts in the air, kinetic and sonic energies, respectively, to shatter the bullets and gun into a million pieces.

With a swift jab to the jaw, Crisis punched Dark Magno, knocking the magnetic foe to the ground below. All that was left was Crisis and Sonik to deal with the King Snake.

“Surrender now, King Snake,” Crisis yelled at the top of his lungs at his foe, still atop the roof of the Acme Warehouse. “Or face the consequences!”

“You won’t get me, coppers!” the King Snake screamed, as he unleashed from his coat a rifle that he emptied its barrels at the fleeing police officers. Crisis and Sonik doubled behind the Code: Blue vehicle.

Crisis tapped on the van and out poured the Code: Blue team, including their leader, Stone, in full riot gear.

“Cover me, Stone, I’m going in,” Crisis ordered to the Code: Blue leader and staunch member. As Stone fired his rifle at the shooting King Snake, instigating the villain and the drug pusher, Crisis and Sonik vaulted in the air, riding on the airwaves, and finally made it back to the roof, in back of the King Snake.

The King Snake had used up all the bullets in his rifle. Frustrated, he threw the weapon over the edge of the warehouse. Hearing footsteps behind him, the King Snake turned around to face Crisis and Sonik.

With his leather boot, Crisis kicked the King |Snake in the face, downing him.

“Oho, it’s payback time!” Sonik screamed as he fireda sonic blast at the body of the King Snake. With no defense at this attack, the King Snake plummeted to the waiting streets below. He fell on top of the Code: Blue van and then, the ground pavement. The Code: Blue agents rushed to his sides.

Back on the roof, Crisis turned on Sonik. “Are you crazy, Brian? No matter what he and Dark Magno did to you, that’s no excuse to nearly kill a man!!”

‘Then, you don’t know me at all, Miller!” Sonik’s eyes were vivid.

“No, I guess I don’t,” Crisis said. “You know I am going to have to put this in my report to the Sarge tomorrow. But I can leave out the severity of the situation, given the gravity of it all.”

“Thank you,” Sonik mumbled under his breath.

“C’mon, friend, let’s go home. Code: Blue can handle the arrests.”