Week 5.2 – Twain’s Story

Previously: Twain was about to reveal the name of Digger’s mysterious tormentor. And now…

“You’re asking, but it sounds like you already know,” Twain said.

Digger remembered the video feed from the warehouse. Reflected light illuminating a suit sleeve and a hand wearing a blue surgical glove. “It wasn’t a glove,” Digger said to himself.

“What wasn’t a what?” Twain asked.

“I saw him on the video, standing in the background,” Digger said. “His skin was blue. Blue skin plus Mongolia can only mean one thing. You’re telling me the Cobalt Czar is behind all this?”

“See, you’re not as dumb as everyone says you are.”

Digger shook his head. It couldn’t be possible. The Cobalt Czar was an infamous figure on the world stage: probably the most powerful super there ever was next to Bugs. He had managed to establish an independent fiefdom, Keuke Bator, on the Mongolian/Siberian border, and his incredible power had enabled him to hold it against the twin empires of Russia and China. The tiny country held few people and fewer resources, being established on some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world.

It was rumored that what money the country made came through weapons trafficking and extortion, though no one knew for sure. Keuke Bator made North Korea look like a free and open society in comparison. But one thing was disputed by no one: the Cobalt Czar ruled absolutely. And the nations of the world trembled when he turned his gaze beyond his own borders for fear it would fall on them.

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Digger said. “I’ve never met him. I’ve never even gone near his little kingdom. Why would he do this?”

“Hell on Earth,” Twain said.

“What?”

“Look, when I couldn’t get anyone to take my bribes, I decided to just disguise myself and sneak in to the City of the Moon. Find out what the big deal was,” Twain said.

“That’s crazy,” Digger said.

“Not crazy. Risky,” Twain corrected. “”At least, that’s what I thought at the time. Getting onto the base wasn’t actually all that hard. The Czar’s men are loyal, but not that well trained.  And as I looked around, I found that the heaviest security was around the mouth of a cave leading under a ridge of land stretching across the center of the base. It looked like this City of the Moon was underground, in some sort of cave complex.”

“So was it an actual ancient city down there, or just some sort of rock formations that looked like a city?” Digger asked.

“I don’t know,” Twain said. “I never found out.  I waited till almost midnight to make my move past the guards, but before I got past the last set, I heard something behind me, and then I was hit by something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know that either,” Twain said. “It was cold, I can tell you that. I looked back to see what had hit me, and all I saw was this slouching shape. Huge, bestial. I still have nightmares about it.”

What could the shape have been? Join us tomorrow for the next exciting episode!

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