The Dragon's Return

by Stan Lee

  A second power-tendril made contact with Duane, and a third with Ox. When the last one struck Roxanne, she felt a searing pain all through her body. A sharp, deadly agony that made the former effects of the power drainer seem like a gentle caress.

  It’s like Carlos said, Roxanne realized. This is how we share power with Steven—like when we all helped move the truck, back in Dubai. But this time, the power is being leeched out of us!

  Roxanne peered up at Carlos through a haze of pain. Malosi stood on one side of the scientist, blazing bright, his eyes wide open. On the other side, Monkey jumped up and down, watching with eager eyes.

  “As I said,” Carlos began, “my technology could drain each of your powers individually. But by harnessing the power of the Tiger, I can do it all at once.”

  “Where—” Roxanne struggled for breath. “Where does the power go?”

  But even as she asked the question, she realized she knew the answer.

  In the hologram, Maxwell’s eyes were wide. The sphere in his hands glowed brighter. It flowed like mercury, like liquid metal. Roxanne knew that glow: it was Zodiac energy.

  Our energy, she thought.

  She struggled to her feet and turned to address Maxwell directly.

  “You can’t—hold that much power,” she said. “It almost destroyed you once.”

  Maxwell’s giant visage smiled down at her. He pointed at Carlos, and although it was impossible, Roxanne could swear Maxwell’s arm reached right out of the hologram.

  “That was before I had him,” Maxwell said.

  In Maxwell’s hands, the sphere continued to change shape. With a shock, Roxanne realized it had four legs, a tail—and the sharp curved horns of Liam’s ram.

  Maxwell reeled. “Oh,” he said. “The power.”

  The sphere morphed again. Its snout grew thicker, sprouting fangs. Pig, Roxanne thought. Then its hooves widened and its horns grew back, straighter this time: Ox. Finally, a sharp beak, a proud plume of metallic feathers rising above piercing eyes—

  Rooster.

  “Part of the jiānyù is very old,” Carlos explained, gesturing at the bronze object. “And part of it is new—my own work, in fact.”

  Roxanne watched in horror as the artifact—the jiānyù—ebbed and surged. It drew in on itself, becoming almost spherical again—then expanded back out into the shapes of the power it was absorbing. Ram. Pig. Ox. Rooster.

  Roxanne searched deep inside herself. She reached for the Zodiac power, tried to grab on to it and hold it tight. It’s not gone yet, she told herself. You can do this. Don’t let go of the power!

  But she was too late and too weak. The power drainer, enhanced by Malosi’s abilities, was too strong. The Rooster was slipping out of her grasp, possibly forever.

  Roxanne looked up and around, desperate. “Celine,” she whispered.

  Snake just stared at Maxwell’s image, shaking her head.

  Roxanne knelt on the platform, surrounded by Liam, Duane, and Ox. All four of them writhed in pain, helpless. Malosi took a step toward them, the merciless Tiger reaching out to wrench the last of the Zodiac energy from its victims’ bodies.

  With each new surge of power, Maxwell twitched and glowed. All the energy flowing into the jiānyù seemed to stimulate him, like a series of electric shocks. He muttered and murmured, lost in his own world.

  Carlos shifted his gaze back and forth from Maxwell to Malosi, monitoring the power drain. “That’s it,” he said. “And…we’re done.”

  Suddenly, the pain was gone. Roxanne slumped to the ground, exhausted. Duane, Liam, and Ox collapsed beside her.

  She forced herself to look up. Malosi was still glowing with power. Carlos ran the analyzer across his body.

  “Levels at ninety-six percent,” Carlos said. “Maximum qi absorption.” He turned to sneer at Roxanne and the others. “No more super people.”

  “Hey,” Monkey said, pointing up at the hologram. “Is he all right?”

  Maxwell stared down, through a haze of Zodiac energy, at the jiānyù in his hands. It shifted, changing shape faster and faster. Pig. Ox. Rooster. Ram. Pig, Ox, Rooster, Ram. PigOxRoosterRam—

  “Sir?” Malosi asked.

  Maxwell looked up. He peered through the energy, and his eyes seemed to focus.

  “I’m fine.” Maxwell nodded. “Son.”

  Malosi’s Tiger roared with pride.

  “The power,” Maxwell continued. “It’s…overwhelming….”

  On the platform, Snake hissed in a breath.

  Malosi raised his arms. He looked like the embodiment of triumph, like a conquering general. Roxanne could picture him striding across the world, laying waste, vanquishing states and countries in the name of his leader—a leader who watched from afar, his electronic visage four times the size of a normal man.

  Liam and the others were struggling to rise. Roxanne crawled over and touched Duane’s shoulder. He jumped slightly, startled.

  “Our powers are gone,” Duane said.

  “I know.” Roxanne kept her voice low. “Which means we’ve got nothing left to lose.”

  She looked back at Maxwell’s holographic image. It reeled, glowing with power.

  “Maxwell’s disoriented,” Roxanne said. “I don’t know if we can take Snake and the others, but this is our only shot. You guys ready for a last, hopeless stand?”

  Liam and Duane nodded.

  Ox’s face was steely. “I’m with you,” he said.

  “Okay.” Roxanne glanced over at Malosi and sucked in a deep breath. “On my signal…”

  Something flashed over the platform with a sudden, deafening roar. Roxanne barely had time to glimpse a small human figure, a metal harness, and a trail of flame. The smell of rocket fuel filled the air—

  —as the figure slammed into Malosi and carried him, soaring, off the platform.

  Everyone scrambled to the edge at once. Roxanne ran ahead of Liam and Duane, pushing past Ox and Snake and Monkey. Only Carlos hung back.

  Malosi and the figure dwindled rapidly from view, spiraling down toward the center of the Vanguard complex. A flare of rocket fire illuminated them briefly, and then they were lost in the glow of the domes below.

  Above the shack, the Maxwell hologram frowned. “What happened?” he asked. “What was that?”

  Roxanne raised an eyebrow. Things still looked bleak; her team was depowered and outnumbered. Maxwell glared down at them from the hologram, bristling with power. Jasmine was missing, and their greatest ally—Carlos—had turned against them.

  But even so, Roxanne felt a surge of hope. She found herself starting to smile.

  “That,” she said, “was Steven Lee.”

  STEVEN HUNG ON tight. Malosi squirmed and twisted in his grip, struggling to break free. Locked together, they lurched and swooped through the air, arcing down toward the glowing domes.

  For just a moment, Malosi turned his face to look directly into Steven’s. The Tiger energy burned around the Vanguard agent, mirroring the rage in his features.

  “YOU!” Malosi screamed.

  He pulled away from Steven, tipping them off balance. For a split second, the sky reeled. The floating platform spun in Steven’s vision like a coin tossed in the air.

  Then the jet pack flared bright, and they found themselves accelerating—straight down.

  Steven felt a moment of panic as the ground rushed toward them. He fumbled for the controls on his waist, at the base of the harness. Stupid thing! he thought. Rat had given him the jet pack—the “other toy” the rodent-man had promised in Sydney. But Rat hadn’t stuck around long enough to show him how to use it.

  Steven jabbed at the lateral thrust button. He and Malosi lurched sideways as their descent slowed. But Malosi had freed his arms. He rained down blows on Steven’s shoulders and head.

  “Let go!” Malosi yelled.

  Steven clamped both arms tight around Malosi’s waist.

  “No way,” he said.

  The white Tiger flashed on and of
f around Malosi like a faulty light bulb. He could break free in an instant, Steven realized, if he knew how to wield the power. But he’s not used to it. That gives me an advantage.

  Not a big one. But an advantage.

  They swooped between two of the small domes, narrowly missing them. The main dome rose up, dead ahead of them. There was no way to avoid it.

  Watching the dome grow larger, Steven felt oddly calm. I’ve lost my powers, he thought. I’ve probably lost my team. It’s just me now.

  All I can do is my best.

  The featureless white wall of the dome loomed close. Wait for the right moment, he thought. Just a little longer…one more second…

  He twisted violently, turning Malosi toward the dome. Make him take the impact. He’s got the power—

  But Malosi’s eyes went wide. The Tiger flared around him, its roar filling the air. He reached out and grabbed Steven’s shoulders, then whirled in midair.

  The jet pack struck the dome first, sending a jolt of pain through Steven’s back. The plastic wall cracked and gave way under the impact and the blazing Zodiac power. The jet pack sparked and caught fire.

  Then they were falling.

  Steven flailed, instinctively trying to summon the Tiger power. Nothing. He barely had time to remember his combat training. He bent his legs and landed awkwardly, stumbling over something hard and rocky.

  He looked around and drew in a sharp breath.

  The room was crowded, filled to overflowing with artifacts. Paintings, sculptures, steles and columns from ancient temples. A pile of gold bullion spilling out of a very old trunk. A large table with sculpted legs, rows of beautiful carved pots and jeweled necklaces covering its surface.

  The jet pack was still smoking. Steven shrugged it off. It clattered to the floor, landing next to the object he’d tripped over: a broken statue of a king with a long stylized beard and haunted eyes. Its lower half was missing.

  “The House of Property,” Malosi said.

  Steven looked up. Across the room, past a row of carved pots, Malosi stood blazing with power. He stared at Steven with pure hatred.

  Steven remembered the tunnels, the artifacts crammed haphazardly into Maxwell’s subterranean warren. He piles up the extra inventory down here, Josie had said. But Ox’s intel had also mentioned Maxwell’s houses: twelve rooms, each representing a different aspect of a person’s life, spread in a ring around Maxwell’s garden.

  “So this is where he keeps the good stuff,” Steven said. “The treasures he steals.”

  “The treasures he rescues,” Malosi corrected.

  Steven stared at him for a moment. Then, despite himself, he laughed.

  “Dude,” Steven said, shaking his head.

  Malosi’s anger flared brighter. “You mock me,” he replied. “You mock him. But he’s the only hope this world has.”

  “Yeah?” Steven gestured around the room. “I think the world would like its stuff back.”

  Malosi walked stiffly to the table. He picked up an ornate decanter lined with silver and studded with large jewels.

  “This was looted from a Middle Eastern museum,” Malosi said. “If Maxwell hadn’t taken it, it would have been lost forever.”

  “That’s what he told you, huh?”

  “The nations of Earth are destroying themselves,” Malosi continued. “There’s no order anymore, no rule of law. Maxwell knows that. That’s why he wants the Zodiac power. That’s why he’s preserving the heritage of the human race, right here.”

  Steven walked toward him. Malosi stood across the table, about three meters away.

  Steven picked up a heavy necklace mounted with diamonds. “It looks to me like he just wants a big pile of bling.”

  Malosi flared with anger. He brought a fist down, splintering the table in half. The decanter crashed to the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces. The other pots and dishes followed, smashing into a pile of multicolored shards.

  “So much for the heritage of the human race,” Steven said.

  The Tiger was bright around Malosi. Its eyes glowed yellow.

  Steven stepped back. He reached into his pocket and felt around. His fingers closed on a cool metal object: the qi amplifier—the gift from his mother.

  Malosi leaped over the broken table, roaring with fury. Steven watched him soar through the air and calmly pressed the button on the amplifier.

  Nothing happened.

  Steven’s instincts kicked in just in time. He leaped aside, and Malosi’s elbow grazed his face. Malosi flew past and tumbled to the floor, crashing into a pile of gold coins.

  Again the Tiger roared.

  Steven looked down at the qi amplifier in horror. Then the horror turned to anger.

  Thanks, Mom, he thought. You failed me again. Why did I think this time would be different?

  Malosi was climbing to his feet. He’s still not used to the Zodiac power, Steven remembered. But I won’t get another chance like that. Next time he’ll kill me.

  Steven glared at the heart-shaped gadget in his hand. He pulled his arm back, intending to throw the useless amplifier away—and then his mother’s words came back to him:

  Try to use it outdoors.

  He cast a quick glance upward. The curved roof of the dome loomed above him. But over by the far wall, where Malosi stood, was the hole they’d punched on their way in.

  “The Tiger,” Malosi said. “It’s everything I thought it would be. It wants to eviscerate its enemy—to rip you to shreds.”

  Steven looked from Malosi back up to the hole in the wall. Outside, through the small opening, he could see the twinkling night sky.

  It draws its energy directly from the stars.

  “But I’ll give you one chance,” Malosi continued. “Surrender and you can walk away. I’ll force the Tiger to be merciful.”

  Steven swallowed hard, crouched down, and charged.

  Malosi reared back, startled. Steven weaved and dodged, propelling himself off the remains of the table. He jumped onto an antique chair and vaulted into the air. When he passed underneath the hole in the wall, he pressed the button again.

  The qi amplifier surged to life.

  Time seemed to slow down. Steven paused, hanging in midair. Above him, the stars appeared brighter than before. A shaft of light stabbed into the room.

  Steven looked down at the startled Malosi. The white Tiger blazed above him, full of fury and uncontrolled power.

  But something was happening to Steven. The Tiger, the power of the Zodiac, surged again—within him, as well as Malosi.

  Steven opened his mouth and roared.

  He slammed into Malosi, and time snapped back to normal. Steven reached out and grabbed the Vanguard agent, swinging him around and throwing him into the wall. A huge painting, a medieval battle scene, cracked and hung loose on the wall.

  Malosi bounced back, not missing a beat. He whirled around and scooped up a chipped stone bust of a woman. He hurled it at Steven, who dodged easily.

  Above them, in the air, the twin Tigers blazed. Steven’s was fierce and righteous, with dark stripes and sharp fangs. Malosi’s was pure white, a beast of incinerating rage.

  Steven jumped up, reaching out for a high kick. Malosi sidestepped, but Steven’s foot grazed his neck. Malosi fell back, clutching his throat.

  “Now it’s an even fight,” Steven said, landing easily on his feet.

  Malosi glared up at him. “Never,” he hissed. “I am the Tiger.”

  “Only till Maxwell doesn’t need you anymore. Then he’ll steal your power, too.”

  “You don’t know anything.”

  “He already did it to Horse and Dog,” Steven said. “I saw them.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “He’s probably draining Snake and Monkey right now—”

  “Shut up!”

  Malosi charged, surprisingly fast. He punched Steven in the head three times, rapid-fire.

  Steven shrank back, dazed. Then he leaped into the air, hand
s and feet moving in concert. He kicked out multiple times, left-right, left-right: one blow to Malosi’s shin, then his knees, then his stomach. Then the shin again.

  Malosi reached out, grabbed Steven’s legs, and flipped him over his shoulder. By the time Steven recovered, the wall was rushing toward him. He was headed for the cracked painting, the same spot Malosi had struck before.

  When the impact came, not even the Zodiac power was enough to protect him from the pain.

  Then Malosi was on him again, charging and butting him in the stomach. Malosi pressed him up against the tattered canvas of the painting, cutting off his breath. Steven’s Tiger howled in agony.

  The wall splintered and burst open. They tumbled through the hole together, grunting and grappling.

  A splintered wooden beam scraped Steven’s side, drawing blood. He cried out. He raised both hands, broke Malosi’s grip, and scurried away.

  He looked around, disoriented. The room he found himself in was completely different from the first one. It was decorated like an English mansion: flowered wallpaper, gilt-edged railings on a spiral staircase, ornate chandeliers hanging at odd angles from the domed ceiling. The floor was a black-and-white checkerboard of marble.

  Everything about the place screamed Old World wealth.

  “Maxwell’s House of Karma,” Malosi said, glaring at Steven. “A fitting place for you to face your sins.”

  “My sins?” Steven asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re a child,” Malosi replied, “a careless little brat. You walked out on your friends…abandoned them. Do you even want the Zodiac power?”

  “I didn’t abandon them.”

  But Malosi’s words had struck home. Steven had made the wrong decision, he knew, traveling to Berlin alone. He’d left his team leaderless and vulnerable at the worst possible time.

  “You should just walk away,” Malosi continued. He gestured at the wide balconies, the meticulously wrought railings. “Let this be your destiny—to grow old quietly, someplace where you’ll never have to hear the word Zodiac again.”

  Steven blinked. He thought of the old man dying alone in his bed in Berlin.

  Above Malosi, the white Tiger blazed. Steven tensed, waiting for the attack. But Malosi just shook his head.