The Mutant Mindbender

[Note: This is not a sexy story. It is more like a 1950's pulp science fiction novel]

[Note: This is not a sexy story. It is more like a 1950's pulp science fiction novel]

Part III: The Twister

Part III: The Twister

Chapter 10: Enter the Twister

Chapter 10: Enter the Twister

The Time: Some years later

His name was the Twister. That wasn't the name he was born with, but it was the name he gave himself, and soon everyone knew it. He was a large man with bulging muscles, and he wore a giant sleeveless shirt with a large uppercase T and a picture of a tornado on it, as if to emphasize his point.

His name was the Twister, and he was currently on a relatively isolated part of the western continent of August, Concord. The western part of the continent was not nearly as developed as the eastern part, especially the east coast, where the capitol, Sarney Sarittenden, was located.

Nestled in the foothills was a very special installation.

The Twister drove his groundcar up to the main gate. The groundcar was stolen, of course, and a number of people on the scene had seen the Twister steal it, but that didn't concern him in the slightest.

For the Twister was not concerned with subtlety.

The sign in front of the fenced off facility simply read "Government facility. Authorized Persons Only". That was rather vague. Usually, government facilities were well identified.

But this was a special case.

Two sentries came out of a guardhut and walked to the groundcar.

The Twister got out of the groundcar.

"This is a restricted-" one of the sentries began.

The Twister flexed his right hand, ever so slightly, and the both guards went flying into the air, smashing into the fence.

The Twister blew air out of his mouth, and the fence in front of the groundcar ripped itself out of the ground and flew a hundred feet or more inside the facility.

The Twister casually walked in as sirens sounded.

Guards rushed out of a nearby barracks.

The Twister smiled, and the guards were all tossed into the air, like rag dolls.

More guards kept coming out of the barracks. The Twister turned his head slightly, and the barracks collapsed, from the inside.

The sirens continued to sound as the Twister casually continued walking.

He purposely ignored a number of identical looking buildings before coming to an inner fence. The fence had a warning sign on it that read: "Restricted area: Under no circumstances go beyond this point!"

The Twister tossed aside a section of inner fence. Beyond this was a central boxed in area, exactly 350 feet by 350 feet wide. A small concrete structure stood in the center of it.

The Twister looked at it, and the concrete structure crumbled. He continued staring.

The ground beneath the structure cracked open. Mounds of dirt flew into the air.

This process continued for nearly a minute, and then stopped.

The Twister casually walked over to the large hole he had created. He looked down. Then, he made a small motion with his hand, and-

The Mind Bender floated out of the hole, landing softly by his side.

The Mind Bender looked the Twister up and down, especially taking in the shirt with the whirlwind and the giant T.

"My car is this way," said the Twister. "Shall we go?"

An hour later, the Twister and the Mind Bender were in a room together. The Twister pressed a button, activating the holoreceiver.

The image of a face in a darkened room appeared. They couldn't make out much of the face; the only light in the room was faint, and it focused on the man's eyes.

Those silvery eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"This can't be good," Croft decided, staring at a holo of the now destroyed prison.

"You should have killed him when you had the chance," said Preston. "But nooooo, you had to get rich."

"Listen, you," said Croft. "You work for the Column for a few hundred years. You save the population from countless invasions, attacks, and other great destructive events. And then see how you like living on a Column pension." Croft paused. "Besides, he didn't escape."

"He didn't?"

"Someone got him out," said Croft.

"And the distinction being?"

"That couldn't have been anticipated," said Croft, pointing at the replay of the prison breakout.

"You couldn't be more right on that point," said Preston. "A guy with a big T on his shirt. He's the most powerful telekinetic I've ever seen. He makes the Clapper look like a cripple."

"Is there any more information on who he really is?" Croft asked.

Preston shook his head.

"It's kind of odd that a guy with powers like this just suddenly appears out of nowhere," said Croft. "It's doubly odd that in his first public appearance, he locates a prison he shouldn't even know about, and helps the Mind Bender escape."

"Almost as if it were planned," said Preston.

"That's right," said Croft. "But why would anyone want to release the Mind Bender? He'd be as great a threat to his liberator as to any of us. He could simply take control of the telekinetic's mind."

"That assumes that the telekinetic isn't immune to his power."

"How would the telekinetic know he's immune?" said Croft. "So far as we know, I'm the only person immune to the Mind Bender."

"It would be a big risk to take," Preston admitted. "You're right, it doesn't make sense."

"Unless...."

"What?" Croft asked.

"Unless the telekinetic himself is working for someone else, and that someone else is keeping a safe distance from the Mind Bender," Preston theorized.

"But that doesn't make sense either," said Croft. "If someone has someone as powerful as the telekinetic working for him, why would he want to risk losing control of the telekinetic by releasing the Mind Bender?"

"I don't know," said Preston.

* * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * *

"My name is-"

"I know who you are," said the Mind Bender, staring at the holo of those silvery eyes. "I've been cut off from current events, but I'm not ignorant. You're the Terrible Thinker."

The eyes flared. "The Great Thinker."

"Whatever," said the Mind Bender, waving a hand dismissively.

It made a difference, to the Great Thinker.

His name was the Great Thinker to some and the Terrible Thinker to others and he was quite possibly the smartest human being in the galaxy, though he competed actively for that title with his estranged brother, Steven Quick. While Quick had risen to rule the June Directorate and used his brains to ally himself with the League, the Terrible Thinker had used his powers to strike out on his own.

He didn't have the armed forces of Sluria at his command, or a (small) army of Gamma Section operatives with special powers, like the League did, but he did have that magnificent brain, and his plans, whether they involved espionage, assassination, regime change, or spying, were all elaborately complicated, and were usually executed flawlessly.

Those silvery eyes stared at the Mind Bender. "I would have thought that you would have been more grateful for your release," said the Terrible Thinker.

"I assume you want something," said the Mind Bender. "Though I don't know why I should even bother to listen to you."

"Really?"

"Yes," said the Mind Bender. "I'm surprised it hasn't even occurred to you, but I can simply take this big guy here and go back into business for myself."

The Twister looked uncomfortably at the Mind Bender.

Those silvery eyes glared at the Mind Bender. "That thought had occurred to me, but after weighing the possibilities, I realized that you would be too smart to do that."

"Really?" said the Mind Bender, an amused expression on his face.

"In the past you have struck out on your own, as you might call it. Each time it has landed you in prison."

"I was unlucky," said the Mind Bender, all the amusement gone from his face.

"You have a tremendous ability," said the Terrible Thinker. "But don't think that your ability gives you the power to do anything you want. You need others, with other abilities, to complement yours."

"To compliment me?" said the Mind Bender. He turned to the Twister. "All right, say something nice about my powers."

"Ha ha," said the Terrible Thinker, without any humor. "You really think you can go out now, and not get caught again within a few days?'

"With this guy's help I can," said the Mind Bender, indicating the Twister.

The Twister looked uncomfortable again.

"And what exactly will you do?" the Terrible Thinker asked.

The Mind Bender looked certain.

"Where exactly will you go?" the Terrible Thinker queried.

The Mind Bender paused.

"What is your plan?" The Terrible Thinker persisted.

"What does it matter?" said the Mind Bender. "We'll be unstoppable!"

"Really?" said the Terrible Thinker. "What if you come up against a brigade of jump troopers? Can you control all of their minds?"

"No, but this fellow can handle them," said the Mind Bender.

"You're wrong," said the Terrible Thinker. "He can be shot just like anyone else. His main advantage is surprise, quick reflexes, and operating against small numbers. Like you, he is a precision tool, made for carefully designed operations. If you just go wandering around August creating destruction around you, sooner or later you will be stopped, probably fatally."

The Mind Bender paused again. The Terrible Thinker looked at him with those silvery eyes, as if he could interpret his thought processes. Of course, the Terrible Thinker couldn't read minds, but he didn't have to. He had already prepared responses to all of the Mind Bender's likely arguments weeks ago.

"So what would you have us do?" said the Mind Bender.

The Terrible Thinker told him.

"That's stupid," said the Mind Bender. "What do I get out of it?"

The Terrible Thinker told him.

"That makes a little more sense, but isn't that a very roundabout way of going about it?" said the Mind Bender.

"The more direct route is quicker, but won't work," said the Terrible Thinker. "I prefer success, even if it takes more time."

"All right," said the Mind Bender grudgingly. "I'll give it a try."

The Terrible Thinker nodded. This had all been expected. "Report back to me at regular intervals."

His image faded.

"Report back to him," said the Mind Bender mockingly. "I never thought I would be reporting to anyone."

"And I never thought I could be persuaded to rescue you," said the Twister. "But he's thought out everything in advance."

"Maybe," said the Mind Bender.

Chapter 11: Diversionary Attacks

Chapter 11: Diversionary Attacks

The civilian space liner was coming in for a landing at Sarney Sarittenden Spaceport. SSS was one of the largest spaceports in the galaxy, with ships landing and taking off almost every minute. The spaceport was divided into three distinct sections: military, passenger civilians, and cargo. One particular passenger liner descended lower, and lower, as it prepared for a gentle landing.

A single figure stood near its landing spot.

It was the Twister.

He made a gesture with his hands, as if he were breaking something.

There was a rumble, and the liner, which had been descending, hovered in place, shaking. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and then it broke in two pieces, snapping along the middle of the ship.

Both halves of the ship quickly rotated to face downwards. Passengers started to fall out of the ship onto the tarmack, thirty to forty feet below. Many screamed as they fell.

More and more figures fell out of the ships, many of them screaming; and then the pace slowed.

The Twister was annoyed. Obviously some people in the ship were still holding on to their seats.

He grunted, and flexed his mental muscles, shaking both halves of the ship more vigorously. A few more people fell out.

"There," the Twister grinned.

The first few people who fell were crushed, both by the impact and the other people who fell on top of them; but most of the passengers who fell later, on the first passengers, had an easier landing, and many of those survived.

Not that the Twister cared in the slightest.

Several vehicles approached, sirens blaring.

The Twister gave a nudge, and both halves of the ship were discarded, sent spinning along the tarmac. One went harmlessly out into the landing field; another crashed against a terminal, smashing into another ship that was just landing, sending it spinning out of position.

The approaching vehicles slowed, but the Twister didn't give anyone a chance to dismount; one by one, he flung the vehicles, sending them sprawling into the spaceport. One went airborne, landing in the passenger section of another spaceship.

Soldiers ran forward on foot. The Twister waved a hand, and sent them flying.

The Twister could see more running towards him in the distance.

It was time to go.

With a slight shrug the Twister turned back to the flattened section of fencing he had walked across, and the waiting hovercar.

**********

"We did have troops defending the spaceport," said A.A., yelling at Croft. "He swatted them aside like flies." The Chief turned to Preston. "What have you learned?"

"We still don't have anything on him" said Preston. "He's probably not even a League citizen."

"Well, whatever he is, he's getting around easily enough," said A.A. "How does a freak with a giant T on his shirt surreptitiously make his way around August without being spotted?"

"The Mind Bender," said Preston suddenly. "That's why the Twister released him."

"The who?" said A.A.

"Twister," said Preston. "Obvious enough, from the whirlwind on the shirt-"

"Of course," said Croft. "The Mind Bender can simply persuade any of our security forces they come into contact with that they're not there."

"What whirlwind on his shirt?" said A.A.

"The question is, though, how did the Twister know where the Mind Bender could be found? He can't read minds, can he?" said Croft.

"You must have seen it, sir, a whirlwind on his shirt," said Preston. He pressed a few buttons, and a still photo of the Twister appeared. Preston zoomed in, and one could clearly see a whirlwind surrounding the T.

"But even so, why would the Mind Bender agree to help the Twister?" said Croft. "Why would anyone free the Mind Bender, wouldn't they be afraid that he would take their over their mind?"

"Wow," said A.A., squinting at the image of the whirlwind on the Twister's shirt. "Very powerful branding."

Croft cleared his throat. "Chief, I'm sorry to disrupt your trademarks and marketing discussion, but we have more central issues to deal with."

A.A. turned to Croft. "What is it, Croft?"

"Nothing is unfolding logically," said Croft. "This guy appears out of nowhere, without warning, and appears at a top secret installation, and now made a random attack at the spaceport. He's made no request for ransom, and has no apparent agenda."

"Maybe he has no agenda," said Preston. "Maybe he's just crazy, like the Mind Bender."

"Maybe," said Croft. "But whatever he is, I think you have to advise the government to increase the number of troops at major installations."

"How will that help?" said A.A. "Did you see the way he swatted those troops aside, as if they were flies?"

"A handful of troops confronted him, and he had ample notice they were coming," said Croft. "I would like to see what he could do against a battalion or a brigade. I'll bet a blaster can kill him like everyone else, if enough guns are pointed at him. He can't stop all of them."

"All right," said the Chief.

********

"Why are we here?" said the Mind Bender, making a face.

He and the Twister were standing outside Power Relay Station #144 on the southern outskirts of Sarney Sarittenden.

"He told us to destroy it," said the Twister.

"He told you to destroy it," the Mind Bender corrected him. "I never get to blow up anything. I'm just your chauffeur, making sure you don't get followed or caught."

"He has his reasons," said the Twister.

"If we're going to attack something, why not a full fledged power plant?" the Mind Bender asked. "That would create a much more impressive explosion."

Suddenly they heard a pinging on their wrist comms. The Twister activated his.

On the tiny screen they saw those glowing silvery eyes. "I have yet to hear any reports about attacks at the power station," said the voice.

"That's because we haven't attacked yet," said the Mind Bender. "Why are we even wasting our time here? Why don't we take out a reactor?"

"You're not thinking," said the voice. It was in the tone of an accusation.

There was silence for a moment. Then the voice said, "Think for moment. Really hard. If you blow up a reactor, what happens?"

"It explodes," said the Twister, smiling.

"And you along with it, unless you're sophisticated enough to set in a time delay, which you don't have the equipment or technical skill to do," said the Terrible Thinker.

"Then why don't we get the equipment?" said the Mind Bender.

"Because I'm telling you to attack this target," said the Terrible Thinker.

"Maybe I'll just go off on my own and attack my own targets," said the Mind Bender. "I may not be able to move things around like Big T here, but any manager of any power plant will blow it up, at my request."

"I'm sure that's so," said the Terrible Thinker. "And how long after you go off on your own will it be before you get caught again?"

The Mind Bender opened his mouth to speak, but the Thinker was quicker.

"Remember that! You're safe under the physical protection of the Twister, and the strategic protection of my plan. But once you go off on your own, you'll have no protection, no backup," said the Terrible Thinker. He added, "There's also something you want. Something you won't get, if you deviate from the plan."

The Mind Bender grimaced. "All right."

"Now go and attack this plant." The signal terminated at the other end.

"You heard old glowing eyes," said the Mind Bender.

The Twister smirked. "This will be fun."

The relay station consisted of giant batteries, which intercepted, stored, and then relayed the power to other sections of August. The batteries were huge, 80 feet tall cylinders, each filled with tremendous energy.

The Twister grunted, and one of the cylinders started to tremble. There were sparks around it, and the cylinder started to lift off the ground, snapping off of electrical cables. Workers started shouting and running in the background.

The cylinder lifted up, up in the air. And then, with tremendous speed, it came crashing down, into the other cylinders. There was an explosion, and a large flash.

"Ow!" said the Twister, blinking rapidly as he saw large spots before his eyes. "He didn't tell me that was going to hurt!"

The power station was on fire now, and workers, the ones who were still alive, were screaming and yelling for help. All the building and street lights in the area went dark, only providing further contrast for the flames from the destruction the Twister had created.

"Maybe it was a good thing we didn't start with a power plant after all," said the Mind Bender, whose eyes also stung.

************

"Another attack!" said the Chief. A.A. was perspiring furiously as he studied the damage report. "Do you know what this means?"

Croft shook his head.

"Not only do we have to protect our power plants, but we also have to have guards at all our relay stations. Do you have any idea how many there are?" said A.A.

Croft shook his head. "But I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"There are hundreds! The army is going to have to spread its forces pretty thin to cover them all," said the Chief.

"Pretty thin," Croft repeated. "Maybe that's what they want."

"Why?" said the Chief.

"I don't know," said Croft.

"Haven't you anything useful to offer?" said the Chief. "Or are you only capable of standing there?"