#22 - "The X Factor"

Inside the dome of the Crimson Claw, Spectrum disguised as the villainous Spectrum had unexpectedly come face to face with Scorpia. Supposedly both had been teammates on the villain group, Terror, Incorporated.

"What a pleasant surprise," Scorpia remarked with a slight Irish accent. "Where've you been keeping yourself, Spectrum?" Seeing his puzzled look, she added, "Surely you haven't forgotten me already?" She reached out with her right hand and ran it down Jim's cheek. "After all we meant to each other?", she added in a seductive tone.

Unsure just what the woman was talking about, Jim decided to play along. Thankfully he had done enough research to identify the woman. "How could I ever forget you, Scorpia?" He drew the terrorist into his arms, willed away the portion of his costume around his mouth, and gave Scorpia a long, lingering kiss. The villainess was momentarily surprised at first, but eagerly went along with the action.

"Aye... Now there be a proper greeting from a gentleman," Scorpia sighed. "I should be angry with you for disappearing like you did, but-- But how can I stay mad at you?"

"Heaven forbid I get you, of all the women in the world, mad at me," Spectrum answered. This encounter was certainly going to push this ruse to its limits. Still, here was a golden opportunity to learn something about the villainous Spectrum-- something other than what he had read in the media. Dealing with Scorpia was going to be a dangerous proposition, but Jim did have time to waste. Everything now hinged on the actions of his captive partner.

"This is hardly the place for a reunion," Spectrum remarked as he gestured to the numerous villains in the immediate area. "How about we go to some place a bit more private?"

"Now that's the lad I remember. If it's privacy you want, boy-o, then it's privacy you'll get." With a seductive smile, Scorpia led Spectrum away from the crowd. Together they entered the elevator. "Living Quarters," the Irish terrorist said into the microphone.

"This is quite some place the Claw has here," Spectrum stated casually. Perhaps Scorpia could fill in some of the blanks left in this mystery that he didn't get time to cover with the receptionist.

"Aye. The Professor was most impressed. In spite of all the pretendin', this is really a space ship."

Realization came to Spectrum. "That explains how it's able to move around then. Makes sense. So how come the Prof hasn't tried to take it over?"

"Fear. Hernan isn't ready to take on the Claw yet. The last batch to challenge the Claw were taught a lesson they'll not soon forget." (Editor's Note: See Troubleshooters #10 for details.)

"This Claw must be really powerful."

The elevator came to a stop and the doors silently parted. The pair stepped out into a long hallway. This area was much quieter than the mingling area they had just departed. A few voices could be heard off in the distance, but no one else was in sight.

"I take it that this is the living area for the ship's crew?", Spectrum asked. "These Servants of the Claw?"

"You would think so, but I've not found any of them on this level before. Enough talk about the Claw, luv. This is about you and me." Scorpia grabbed Spectrum's hand and led him down the hallway, then into a smaller, curved hallway. Numerous doors lined the passageway. She picked one of the doors at random and touched the keypad next to it. The door silently slid open to reveal a small room. The main features were two chairs and two beds. Drawer space appeared to be inside the walls themselves at the foot of each bed.

"This be private enough for you, laddie?" Before Spectrum could answer, Scorpia placed her lips on his. The two kissed passionately for a few minutes before Scorpia pushed Spectrum on to one of the beds. "Now we'll be havin' a proper reunion." Scorpia ditched her cape and slowly began to undress.

"This is certainly not working out as planned," Spectrum thought to himself. Still, Scorpia was an attractive, if not deadly, woman. "Best just go with the flow for now..."

Spectrum awoke with a start. A klaxon was screaming over the dome's loud speakers. "What's that?"

Scorpia shifted nearby and rolled over. She kissed Jim once more and laid her head next to his. Unconsciously, he placed his arm around her. Jim did a momentary double take. He still found it hard to believe that this incredibly passionate woman was a cold-blooded killer. Of course, she thought Spectrum was a killer too. "The Claw must be making an announcement," she explained sleepily.

"Attention!", came the familiar voice of the receptionist over the loudspeaker. "Round One of the contest is now closed. The following villains are to report to the Arena immediately."

"Now we find out who advances into Round Two," Scorpia whispered.

"...Firewing, Dr. Destroyer, Borealis..."

The couple listened on with interest. "No surprises there," Scorpia remarked.

"...Ankylosaur, Black Paladin, Ripper, Void, and the Monster..."

"No real lightweights, either," Spectrum observed.

"...Report to the arena immediately to make your selections for Round Two..."

"Muerte must be beside himself at this moment," Scorpia added as she nibbled Spectrum's ear. "Must have done terrible things to his ego. The poor wee baby," she added in a sarcastic tone.

"He always was a bit full of himself for my tastes." Jim gently stroked Scorpia's hair. He figured that he was safe as long as he went along with what Scorpia was saying.

"Had you not left, I would now be in control of Terror, Incorporated... We always wondered why you would disappear every few weeks, but it's been almost seven months since you last left us. I have to ask myself: 'why?' And also if I can truly trust you now."

"Like you said, 'after all we've meant to each other', do you even have to ask?"

"Good, good," Scorpia said with a malevolent grin. "I don't have the power to take him down alone. But together, we can succeed. The others will fall in line after Muerte is removed."

"Or they will be shown the error of their ways," Spectrum added.

"Aye, that they will, luv. Then you'll be my right hand man."

"A bit more than that I hope." Jim leaned forward and kissed Scorpia on the forehead. "Shall we go watch the drawing for Round Two?"

"We have better things to do," Scorpia cooed as she kissed Jim again...

Several hours later, Jim laid quietly in the bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts deeply troubled. "Well, this pretty much confirms it. I was in Terror, Inc., even if it was only for a short time. The fact that Scorpia recognized me out of costume cinches it." Thankfully, she never called Spectrum by his real name, or any other name for that matter, so she didn't know everything about him. He had tried to get information out of her, but she wasn't interested in talking. Her beauty was intoxicating and Jim found that he wasn't much interested in conversation either. "Instead of answering my questions, all this has done is further confuse things. I hope things are going better for 'Bliz'..."

Elsewhere, 'Blizzard' sat upright in the cell that the Servants of the Claw had deposited him in. "My-oh-my, we're havin' some fun now...," he noted in a voice that matched David Letterman's. The temperature in the chamber was unpleasantly warm, but it was a dry heat. "Mostly likely conditions that would weaken Blizzard's ice generating powers," he surmised.

Stepping up to the door, the man concentrated. Slowly his eyesight penetrated the metallic door. In the corridor outside, he could see that it was currently vacant.

"As charming as I find the accommodations, I'm afraid that I shan't be staying long." With that, 'Blizzard' disappeared from his cell.

He reappeared a moment later in the corridor outside the cellblock. Almost immediately, an alarm sounded. A moment after that, one of the Servants of the Claw appeared in the hallway, bearing an odd looking weapon. A second appeared as well.

"And we're off!", 'Blizzard' muttered to himself.

<
In the hills overlooking the Blue Dome of the Crimson Claw, Shockwave waited with an impatient... Blizzard? "Will you quit pacing, Thomas? You're making me nervous!"

"Something's gone wrong... They should've been out by now! We've been waiting up here all night! I knew we shouldn't have gone along with Spectrum's hair-brained idea."

"As I recall, you were the most in favor of it."

Blizzard turned and glared at Shockwave. "Yeah, well, your boyfriend isn't being held captive in that-- that blue thing, either!"

"I realize that," Shockwave stated, "but quit thinking with your hormones. You have a brain, Thomas. Use it."

"Get off my back, Sara! I'm a big boy now! If you think--"

Shockwave held up her hand to interrupt her companion. "Something's happening down there! Maybe this is what we've been waiting for..."

Blizzard's anger faded and he turned to face the giant Blue Dome. He couldn't tell that there was anything different, but he didn't have the sensors Shockwave had in her armor either. Perhaps their waiting was finally coming to an end?

Back in the cellblock, 'Blizzard' stood over the strange Servants of the Claw. They were no match for his combat skills and fell with ease. However, that's when things took a sudden turn towards the strange. Upon being knocked out the Servants' bodies changed into something hideous. Slime and tentacles was all 'Blizzard' could make out as the creature began to dissolve in a cloud of sulfurous smoke. In moments, they were completely gone.

Not having any more time to waste, 'Blizzard' walked up to one of the keypads and placed his hand upon it. As he did, an energy discharge came forth from his hand and filled the device. The hero quickly took a step back as the device suddenly exploded, unable to contain the absorbed power! Sparks flew everywhere and several of the cellblock doors snapped opened!

"What's going on?", a large man cried out. He was dressed in a garish green, red, and yellow costume. Supreme, as he was better known to the world, stood a full 6'3" and was incredibly muscular. "Who the hell are you?!"

"We're bustin' outta this joint, ya see!", 'Blizzard' announced in an Edward G. Robinson voice. "Yeah, yeah!!"

"A break out?", another man in a deep blue body suit parroted. "Count me in!"

'Blizzard' could see that his actions had freed eight other prisoners. He recognized Maelstrom and Renegade from the Protectors, Supreme late of the Avengers, Imperial from the Capitol Patrol, and Silver Arrow of the Freedom League. Rounding out the group were the heroines Morning Star, Peregrine, and the Empress.

Unexpectedly, the Empress rushed up and hugged 'Blizzard'. "Oh, Blizzie, I was so scared! I--" The heroine quickly released her boyfriend, as if he had suddenly become red hot. "Hey! You're not Blizzard!"

'Blizzard' removed his mask to reveal his true features. "Sabre, at your service, milady"

"Who are these people?" the woman known as Peregrine wondered aloud. She was dressed in a dark red bodysuit, complete with a golden hawk-like helmet. Brown gliding wings stretched from her arms to the trunk of her body. A former member of the Champions, Peregrine now worked solo in Chicago.

"They're okay," Morning Star informed the newly released prisoners. "Sabre is one of us."

"Let's skip the introductions and get moving!", the man known as Imperial stated. He wasn't as tall as, or muscular, as Supreme, but Imperial was no one's push over. "I ain't going back inside that tin can!"

"We can't just leave the others," Morning Star objected. "We've got to get them out as well!"

As if in answer to the heroine's concern, nearly half a dozen energy blasts came streaking down the corridor! The silver and black archer from the Freedom League, the Silver Arrow, went down in the first wave. Peregrine dropped a heartbeat later. Morning Star took several hits and a purplish glow began to surround her body.

"Back this way!", Imperial, the leader of the DC-based Capital Patrol shouted. "We need to take cover!"

"Cover, hell!", Supreme roared. "I'm gonna bash some heads in!" Ignoring Imperial's order, the large hero rushed to greet the incoming villains. After being cooped up for the last two months, the large Avenger was more than ready to dish out some serious retribution! His body was more than up to the task of resisting the various energy discharges. The Avenger grabbed Oculon, the villain's eyebeams feeling like little more than a tingle, and threw him into the pack of arriving villains, sending the horde sprawling.

Behind him, Maelstrom erected a barrier of wind to further protect the escaping heroes. The weather manipulator of the Protectors was an older man, easily in his forties, who wore a purple and yellow costume. His teammate, the Renegade, picked up Silver Arrow and Peregrine, carrying both with ease.

"What's the escape plan, Sabre?", Morning Star asked, the idea of freeing the others having taken a back seat for the moment. "Who else is here with you?"

"It just me and Spectrum," Sabre answered, having completely discarded his Blizzard disguise. "At this point, we're making it up as we go along."

"Oh, great!", the Empress muttered, sending her gaze heavenward.

"Rookies," Imperial said in an annoyed tone. "At any rate, we need to get ourselves out of here before we get overwhelmed! If I knew where I was, I could teleport a few out, but there's no way I'm going to try that trick blind!"

Supreme had cleared a good portion of the corridor when the second wave hit. Ripper led this charge. A powerful punch sent the Avenger hurtling into, and through, the wind barrier that Maelstrom had erected.

"We better do something damn fast!" Renegade nearly shouted. "They're breaking through!"

"Teleport straight up," Sabre advised. "You'll clear the dome that way. I can handle the rest of the people." Sabre touched Renegade's shoulder and a moment later they disappeared, along with Silver Arrow and Peregrine whom Renegade had been carrying.

Imperial put one arm around the Empress, and sought to put the other around Morning Star. The lavender clad heroine backed away, hands up in front of her. "No thanks, Imperial. I don't do straight up. Get Maelstrom out of here. I'll stay and help Supreme."

"It's yer funeral, toots." With his passengers in tow, the gold and red hero disappeared.

Supreme and Ripper were still at it. The struggle between the two musclemen successfully blocked the corridor, holding the other villains effectively at bay. For the moment anyway.

"Outta my way, Supreme!", Ripper roared. "I've gotta date with Morning Star!"

"So you're afraid to fight Supreme, huh? You've got good cause to fear me, monster!" Supreme landed another powerful blow to the body of Ripper, sending the villain back. Ripper was on his feet immediately and leaped at Supreme once more.

Back at the elevator, a third wave of villains had arrived. Among them were Spectrum and Scorpia. Jim was very thankful that the alarm had interrupted his reunion with Scorpia. Upon reflection, Spectrum realized that the relationship she had with Spectrum was not all that big of a surprise. Given the fact the other male members of Terror, Inc. were deformed in some manner, it was truly a case of 'Beauty and the Beasts'. No doubt she was really manipulating Spectrum to keep him on her side when the inevitable power struggle in Terror, Inc. came to a head.

There were so many villains in the narrow cellblock that they were effectively clogging themselves. "I got Sabre into this mess," Spectrum thought to himself, "I better help him out of it."

"This is madness!", Scorpia uttered to her 'partner'. "There's too many people here!"

"Well, let me see if I can make some sense of this." Spectrum took to the air, leaving a puzzled Scorpia behind. Jim hugged the ceiling and passed over the throng of villains. Near the end of the corridor, he could see Ripper and Supreme going at it. Behind stood a vigilant Morning Star. "Thank goodness Sabre was able to rescue her!"

As he flew past Ripper, Spectrum generated a flash of light before the misshapen brick's face. "Hey!", Ripper screamed. "What the hell are you doing!?"

"Givin' my buddy an opening to lay you out!", Spectrum answered. Supreme wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't let the opportunity go to waste. He unloaded on Ripper, sending the villain crashing headlong into the other villains behind him.

"Get off me, ya moron!", Bulldozer was heard to cry out from underneath the pile.

Spectrum landed near Morning Star. Warily, she eyed the new arrival. "Spectrum? Is that you?"

"In the flash, 'Star. Glad to see you're okay."

"I think you have some explaining to do," Morning Star stated. "But that can wait for a better time."

Supreme had joined the duo at the end of the cellblock. "Who's this clown?"

"Spectrum's the name, light is my game."

"Oh god," Supreme muttered. "Not another Lightburst!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Not now!", Morning Star chided. "We've got bigger problems!"

The villains had regrouped and were making their way down the corridor. Before they could reach their targets, Sabre suddenly materialized behind the trio of heroes. "This is your captain speaking. Your final flight out of the Blue Dome of the Crimson Claw is now departing."

"One of this days, Sabre, you're gonna scare me to death!" Spectrum accepted Sabre's hand and grasped Morning Star's with the other.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you, Sabre?", Morning Star commented.

Sabre's other hand grasped onto Supreme. In a voice that Spectrum couldn't quite place, Sabre said, "...and away we go!"

A second later, the quartet appeared outside the Blue Dome. However, not all was peaceful, as still more villains were here as well. Spectrum could see the other heroes making their way out of the valley. Maelstrom was now in his element and he commanded powerful winds to hold back some of the villains.

Up in the hills, Blizzard and Shockwave were giving cover to the escaping heroes. The frosty hero pelted the villains with ice, while Shockwave threw boulders to discourage pursuit.

Spectrum took to the air and assisted Imperial in his efforts to blast the villains on the ground. Morning Star ran for cover at the far end of the valley, while Supreme actually leaped into the fray once more, this time taking on the mysterious being known only as the Monster. Once safely out of the line of fire, Morning Star began to hurtle boulders towards the villains.

Slowly, the villains began to withdraw and most returned inside the dome. The door closed once more, leaving the heroes alone in the valley. The strange rippling effect covered the structure once more and it disappeared.

"I hate it when it does that," Spectrum muttered to himself.

Casually, the heroes came together in the now empty valley. Old friendships were renewed. Blizzard and the Empress finally had their passionate reunion.

"Geez, somebody outta throw a bucket of water on those two," Imperial remarked, eyeing the entwined couple.

"I have to say that I had my doubts about your plan," Shockwave stated as she approached Spectrum, who had reverted to his current garb, "but it did accomplish something. We managed to free some of the missing heroes."

"Just lucky," Spectrum replied. "We won't get away with that trick next time."

"Regardless," Peregrine offered, "your efforts are very much appreciated. This is one bird who hates being caged. Forgive me for asking, but who are you people anyway?"

"That's a good question," Sabre answered. "You know, we did work well as a group. Why not join forces? At least until this crazy crisis is over..."

"You mean form our own hero team?", Shockwave wondered aloud.

Spectrum considered for a moment. "Well, why not? It's not like the Guardians and the Freedom League have that many roster openings and there's certainly more than enough criminal activity to merit a third group in LA. Who wants in?"

Spectrum held his hand out before him. Sabre did likewise, placing his hand on top of Spectrum's. "It was my idea, so I am sort of committed," Sabre added with a infectious smile.

"Glad to have you, Sabre." Spectrum turned to face Shockwave and Blizzard. "What about you guys?"

Shockwave hesitated for a few moments, but finally added her hand to the pile. "It might be fun to be on a real hero team."

Blizzard added his hand quickly after Shockwave. "Teamwork does have its advantages." He looked questioningly at the Empress. "Come on, it'll be a blast."

The Empress sighed, but reluctantly joined in. "It's against my better judgement, but I'll do it for you, Blizzie."

"This should be very interesting," Spectrum observed. "So who's the leader going to be?"

"That should be rather obvious at this point," Shockwave stated. "You orchestrated this rescue, Spectrum, so I think you should be the leader." The others quickly agreed.

"Thanks for your trust guys. I sincerely hope that it's well placed."

"Talk about cornball," Imperial complained. "The next thing you know, they'll be bringing out the cryin' towel."

Unexpectedly, Morning Star added her hand to the stack. The five others all looked at her, puzzled. "It's been a long time since I was last on a team. You need someone with experience and someone has to watch over you people. Besides, as Shockwave stated, it might be fun."

Underneath his mask Spectrum smiled. "Great to have you along, 'Star. I guess the next order of business is a name."

"The LA Knights?", Shockwave suggested.

"The Misfits is more like it," Sabre added.

"California Dreamers?," Blizzard offered.

"At least that one fits!" Imperial had to offer his two-cents once more.

"I think the name should reflect ourselves," Spectrum finally said. "Who we are and what we're about."

"That's a difficult proposition," Peregrine added. "Most people don't know who you are."

"That's it!", Spectrum said excitedly. "We're an unknown quantity. It's like what happened here today. According to the receptionist, the Crimson Claw had prepared for every contingency. Our standing here proves him wrong. We were an 'X Factor'."

"X-Factor, huh?" Shockwave considered the name for a bit. They really were a bunch of unknowns, she had to conclude. "The name certainly fits."

"I was kind of partial to the Misfits, but I'll go with X-Factor," Sabre agreed.

"It's settled then." Turning to Peregrine, Spectrum added, "You asked a few moments ago just who we were. We're X-Factor, ma'am, and we're here to make a difference."

The other heroes around congratulated the newly formed team, with the exception of Imperial, whose comment on the matter was, "Big fat hairy deal..."