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* SECRET SEVEN VOL. I ISSUE # 5 *
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Six individuals.

Selected from amongst today's criminals, a handful of antiheroes band together to form the world's toughest covert superteam.

The Stranger - Enigmatic field leader. The Ethereal Avenger.
Nightdevil - Part human,part metahuman. All attitude.
Lady Dragon - Fearless matron of the martials arts.
Meanstreak - The dark speedster with a darker past.
Grimstone - Mystical modernday golem. Superhuman strength.
Timeliner - The Dimensional Man. Displaced timerider searching for answers.

Together with their cryptic government liason, Falcon 7,they are


...The Secret Seven !

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* "THE HERACLES CONTRACT" Part Five *
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SCENE: Com. Gordon's office, Police Headquarters, New Gotham City. 9:17 AM. James Gordon, Sgt Glenn Storm, Superion and The Wrayth are in deep conversation over the recent attempt on Gordon's life by the previously unknown group called The Chain Gang. The Leader of the villainous crew sits awaiting further interrogation by Steel and Gordon. In the background the TV is on as the news is being broadcast,providing some background noise if nothing else as they carry on their conversation.

"Are you trying to tell me these Chain Gang people are nothing more than regular folks with sophisticated weapons and bodyarmor?" says Sgt Storm.

"Seems that they were a group of angry parents of murder victims. In each case the perpetrator of the crime was released on a legal technicality." replies Gordon. "I was a prime witness in each of the cases. I guess they blame me for not just killing each murderers when I had they in custody."

TV - "..word has it that Diana Danvers may be the next victim of the serial killer. She
was last seen fighting outside her Florida home with an unknown assailant but when authroities arrived they found no trace of..."

"Flaws in the system. They'll always be there. You can't be blamed for that. Those people were irrational and borderline psychotic. Just as bad as they murderers they seek to destroy. But my question is...how did they get their weapons and armor?" asks the Night Guardian.

TV - ".. one fact known in the murder of Ms Psyque. WNGC Action News Nine has learned that while dying, the letter A was scrawled on the floor,apparently in her own blood..."

"None of them will say. We got background checks on each of them and there was one interesting common factor..." says Gordon.

"They each received jobs from the government just after the conclusion of each of their sons' and daughters' murder trials." he continues.

TV - "..related story..the search continues for the remaining Justice Legion members,
Mr Mystic, Mantaray, Silver Atom , Ms Wonder and the Blazing Skull..."

"The government?" says Superion "You think the government is behind this?"

"For what possible reason?!" says Storm heatedly.

"I don't know, Glenn" Gordon says with resignation. "I just don't know."

TV - "..and it appears now that the metahuman registration bill is going to be up for
a Senate vote today. That could mean passage could come as soon as next
weekend...."

"I've got a few contacts I can check with. Something doesn't seem right with this whole deal. We've got the government involved in the autopsies of murdered superheroes and now it appears they're responsible for the attempt on your life, James." says Superion.

"If they are involved.. one thing's for sure..." he adds. "..we've got to find out why."

"And while you do that, I've got another mystery to solve." says the Wrayth.

TV - "..the bill,backed by a handful of senators, chiefly Senators Samuel Hightower, Senator Robert Drummond, Senator Hadley Brannon and Senator Van Williams, seeks to regulate a mandatory registration of all metahumans and aliens in the country..."

*CLICK*

Superion shuts off the TV as he watches the Wrayth begin to leave.

"Where are you going?" asks the Dantarian hero.

"Whispering Hills." says the New Gotham's Night Watchman. He slides the window open and jumps out, disappearing into the New Gotham morning.

"Where's Whispering Hills?" asks Superion.

"It's not a case of where but rather one of what, Supes." says the hard-nosed Sgt Storm, shifting his lit cigar in his clenched teeth.

"Huh?" says the confused hero.

" You see Whispering Hills isn't a town, Superion..." says Gordon as he stares blankly out the window.


"..it's a graveyard."

O=================================================================O

SCENE: The Lair. 10:25 AM. The golden age super-heroine, Miss Wonder, has been taken to the Lair's medical den to be monitored and to try and find a cure for the advancing cancer growing in her body. Falcon 7 is offline and most of the SS members are resting in their quarters,the exceptions being only Nightdevil and Grimstone. The Grim Gargoyle sits watching the television monitor as Nightdevil reclines in a Lay-Z-Boy,reading a newspaper. On the monitor is the special news broadcast.

"..two more deaths related to the recent serial killings of former Justice Legion of America members. This time it's the former strongman of the group Hercules Champion also known as Herakles and a woman who has been identified as Ms Psyque, the telekinetic mystery girl of the World War II team. Her identity was unknown to Greenwich Village police at the time, but her body was later identified by former JLA member Mantaray, who is now in a working agreement with Sea World Florida.

And while police officials would not talk with us on camera, one official did confirm that efforts are underway to locate the remaining Justice Legion members Mr Mystic, Silver Atom, Miss Wonder, Mantaray and the Blazing Skull. Of the original twelve members only they are still alive today. Currently the only other former JLAer whose location is known is the android Silver Atom, who recently was involved in a space shuttle launch. He currently is believed to be working with N.A.S.A. on future space shuttle endeavors.
As for the other remaining members... well time will tell. This Alicia Donaldson, Action Nine News"

*CLICK*

The monitor goes dark.

"Two more heroes have crossed the gates" says the stoic Grimstone, "Time continues on while their murderer remains free to kill again."

Nightdevil replies from behind his newspaper.

"They sure are dropping like flies" he says. "So where'd the others go again?"

"They seek the man-creature called Mantaray." replies the Grim Gargoyle.

"Oh yeah.. Sea World. Figures..they all get to hang out in the sun and fun of Florida while I'm stuck here babysitting the old broad. Life ain't fair, Grimsy."

The stone goliath stands unmoving, staring at the brash Nightdevil.

"We are to wait here until Falcon 7 returns. Do not make this more unpleasant than it needs to be" says the behemoth. "I shall be in the study".

And with his words echoing in the chamber, Grimstone exits the room leaving Nightdevil alone in his sarcasm.

"What's up with him?" he says under his breath. He shrugs his shoulders and returns to reading the newspaper.

Meanwhile Grimstone arrives at the study.

He walks over to one of the several wall-length bookcases and pulls out a thick leatherbound book. A slight smile creases his stony lips as he opens it.

"Signum diabolus prodigium*" reads the grim goliath.

*[Latin - loosely "Sign of the Devil"]

The smile quickly vanishes, leaving the usual stoic expression on the gargoyle's face. He thumbs past some pages until he finds the object of his search. He pauses momentarily,reading the page. He lets loose a heavy sigh of disappointment.

"Pax pacis" The words barely escape his lips."Tantummodo in mors mortis"*

**[Latin - loosely "Peace"..."Only in death"]

"As it always has been..."he says with resignation in his deep voice,


"..so it shall always will be."

He closes the book and stands there in ponderous thought. The moment is broken by an ominous yet calming voice.

"Still looking for the way back..." it says.


"..brother ?"

"Who...?" says the startled gargoyle, turning to face the voice speaking. His face contorts to a visage of shock as he sees his detractor.

"By Zurvan's soul! YOU!"

O=================================================================O

SCENE: A dark chamber. A chamber lit only by the glow of bluish incandescent lighting. In the center of the back wall is a long pulpit-style series of council desks, the type you'd expect to house the Spanish Inquisitors of history...or the common judges of today's courtrooms. The bench desks sit about four feet off the floor. The chamber's silence is soon broken by the sound of a door opening and closing. A set of footsteps are heard slowly making their way to the center of the room. A figure,dressed in a finely tailored suit,stops and then faces the bench desks.

An eternity seems to pass in mere minutes. The figure merely stands there, motionless.

Then the sound of heavy marble sliding across a metal surface is heard. From the shadows behind the towering bench desks emerge several figures cloaked in hooded robes. One by one the figures emerge and then take a seat behind the bench. Finally the tenth and last hooded figure takes his place at the center bench desk. It is he who speaks first.

"What is it you seek?" the shrouded figure says sternly.

"I need some information" the standing man replies.

"Information can be a dangerous thing" says the figure to the central figure's right. "This is highly irregular".

"I know" says the standing figure. "But we're running out of time. There are seven heroes dead. We have one in custody but four still remain at large and contacting them is becoming harder since the media has picked up on the whole story."

"The media only knows what's being told to them" says another figure. "Don't believe everything they report"

"Yes,I'm aware of that..but now it seems the government itself is involved in the deaths,or at least some type of ..of..cover-up....for lack of a better term. I need to know what they are looking for by performing the autopsies at Ft Liberty." says the standing man.

"What of the 'lone gunman' theory?" asks a steady female voice.

"Well while the gunshots were the primary cause of death in each case, I've since learned something which renders that point moot." he replies.

"And that is...?" inquires the central figure.

"DNA and genetic testing done on the first five heroes who were murdered. They all had something in common besides fatal gunshot wounds." he says pausing briefly before continuing his point.

"They were all dying already...from cancer".

There's a slight buzzing between some of the hooded figures.

"In fact, Miss Wonder admitted to us that she herself has the cancer and is dying. I haven't confirmed the results from the latest two deaths, though I expect that info any moment now."

There's a more murmuring between some of the hooded figures.

"Please..."says the central figure to calm the buzz amongst the mysterious group. "Those facts are known to us. However, the coincidence of these heroes all having such a malady naturally is very highly improbable...but I suspect you already knew that didn't you..."

"..Falcon 7 ?" the central figures says dramatically.

"It didn't seem....right, sir." replies the SS leader.

"What is it exactly..that you wish to know?" says the central man.

"I need to know who in the government would have something to gain by covering up the fact that some of America's greatest heroes are being killed before they die from cancer... almost as if..." Falcon 7 stops abruptly in mid-thought.

"As if..what,Falcon 7?" asks the central man in a coaxing tone.

"Almost as if....someone wanted to..hide the fact that they were dying with cancer...by murdering them? To deflect any possiblity of that information getting public? That's a bit much for even me to believe, I mean that would be tantamount to playing God" says the eyepatched director.

"Yes..unbelievability provides the perfect disguise for the probable. It's been that way since the dawn of civilization, Falcon 7." the central figure says almost poetically. "Why would it be any different now? Those in power make decisions for the nation based on many factors."

Falcon 7 ponders the hooded figure's statement as if searching for some hidden truth.

"Are you saying... the..the President is behind this?" Falcon 7 asks incredulously. "But why would the President sanction the murders of the Justice Legion? They were heroes...!" says Falcon 7 in an aggitated voice.

"Who says it was the President?" the central figure asks.

"If not him...then who?" asks Falcon 7.

"The game of government is played by many individuals, Falcon 7. And just like the game of life itself..there are good players...and bad players. The key is discerning between the two." the central figures says.

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand.." replies Falcon 7.

"You asked us who would stand to benefit from such a supposed cover-up... and while we the Pantheon, do not have direct knowledge on this, I suspect the answers lie within the grasp of the media's mighty and formidable ability to unknowingly expose the truth without anyone detecting it." says the figure.

"Are you saying it's right under my nose?" asks 7.

"No. We're saying keep watch on the news that comes out of the government. It's been our experience that sooner or later...the party responsible...will tip his hand and expose himself to those who are looking for the right answers."

"More riddles. I expected more, Zeus." says an annoyed,frustrated Falcon 7.

"Heed my words...our sources are working in concert with your group, Falcon 7. You now know as much as we do. We'll provide what information we can, but know this. Should the actual murderer get away with this heinous act..."


"..what's to limit him to metahumans?"

The chamber falls silent once more....

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SCENE: Whispering Hills Cemetery. Time: 10:45 PM. The wind howls through the aged, gnarled trees that litter the moonlit landscape of the graveyard. Through the night's breeze is heard the sound of metal grating on gravel.

*CHUK*

A shovel full of dirt is thrown out of what appears to be a grave. A light seems to be illuminating the area from inside the freshly dug hole. The headstone on the grave reads

MATTHEW
GRAYSON
++++++++++++++++++
BORN JULY 5,1976
DIED FEB.10,1997
++++++++++++++++++
R. I. P.

*CHUK*

*CHUK*

*CHU-THUD*

The sound of metal striking wood breaks the steady streak. Then a voice speaks in a whispered tone.

"It's about time",the voice says. "It's time to find out what the hell is going on".

*THUD*

*THUD*

*THUD*

The sound appears at a steady pace as the cause of this noise is revealed to be a shovel operated by... the Wrayth. He wears a miner's light straped to his head as he clears earth away from the top of a casket.

He's been at this for several hours. He knows what he believes to be the truth, all he needs now is the proof. Proof which lies interred within the grave of his former partner and ward, Matthew Grayson.

Ghost Boy.

When Matt was executed for his crime of rage and revenge, a part of The Wrayth died as well.

He uses the shovel as a crowbar and begins prying the lid open. After a few mighty heaves, it finally begins to give.

*CRREEEAAKK*

The lid slowly is lifted. The Wrayth readies himself and leans over the casket.

His face contorts into a vision of pure shock and terror.

"No! It can't be!!"

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To be continued in SS #5 [Part 2]
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