CHAPTER 2 (March 16-24, 1984): Prologue

Four hours ago, a man in a ripped costume appreared in a cloud of smoke on the Protectors meeting table. He was battered and bruised and he begged for help. The Protectors couldn't ignore his plea. They took him to Infirmary and let the medical computers deal with him. The Medi-docs stitched his cuts, lowered swelling on bruises and gave the man some painkillers. The whoel procedure took an hour. The remaining three hours, the man rested.
Bolt had posted two guards in the Infirmary on two hour watches. At the present time, Shield and Cheshire Cat were on duty. "Shield," she whispered to her teammate. "I don't think I like this guy."
"Why not? He didn't do anything yet."
"Look at his costume! That shade of red DEFinately does NOT go with black!" she said around a smile.
"Ya know, Chez, you're wit never fails to amaze me." Shield replied, humorless.
"Spoilsport."
"He...hello?" Shield and Cheshire Cat turned quickly, both startled. The man was sitting up on the medical table with his legs dangling over the edge. "Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you. I am-"
Shield threw his hand up." Stop." he turned to Cheshire Cat. "Go get the others."
"On my way..." she paused. "...spoilsport." And she blinked away. Sheild and the stranger just stared at each in silence, until a few moments later, Bolt entered. He looked as stoic as Shield, so the stranger didn't bother to start talking. He figured to just wait until someone more conversant arrived. Cheshire Cat blinked back in. 'Everybody's on thier way." She saw Bolt and added, "Hello, fearless leader."
"Hello, Chez." Bolt's tone was one of even more seriousness than Shield's, if that was possible. Cheshire Cat knew it had to be the situation, cause Bolt was usually more fun than this. Jewelie and Dreadnaut walked in, stern as the other two members.
"Ye gods, people," the stranger said. " I don't have an incurable, highly contagious disease that guy by talking to me. I'm not going to hurt you." When there was no immediate reply, he sighed. "It's no wonder th Americans lost the war."
Poltergeist entered and said, "PROFESSOR is watching the monitor board."
Bolt finally spoke. "Since we're all here, you can tell us what you're doing here."
"It's about time." The stranger was exasperated. "I am called The Unknown. I must ask you to not interrupt me until I am done. I realize mys tory will sound far-fetched, but nonetheless, it is true.
"I come from another dimension, a dimension parallel to your, that houses and earth like this one. Both earths' histories, as far as I can determine, are identical up until the early 1940's. On your earth, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, as I recall. That cause the United States to enter what you call World War II. This happened in 1941, correct?"
"So far." Bolt replied.
"Well, things didn't happen that way on my earth. In 1941, the Japanese attacked the Soviet Union instead of the UNited States. While the American government tittered and tottered about, unsure of what to do, the Germans crossed the Channel and invaded England, overrunning London after a pitched battle, and from there, eventually all the the British Isles. ANd by March 1942, the Germans had free reign throughout all of Europe. The United States remained neutral, although they did allow the British Royal Family asylum. The Sovier Union was being attacked fropm both ends, the Germans from the west and teh Japanese from the east. And they couldnt' sustain a two front war. In early 1943 Moscow was bombed and burned into submission, and by August 1943, Stalin was dead of 'suicide' in the hands of the Germans.
"The Germans ran through Africa, taking what the pleased. And they captured the oil fields of the Middle East. Japan overran Asia, with only India still fighting. And then they invaded Australia, but they weren't an easy target either. Finally, in November 1943, The United States declared war on both Germany and Japan. But German U-Boats ruled the Atlantic and the Japanese Navy was more than a match for the United States Navy. Despite all it's military and industrial might, the USA had simply waited too long, allowing the Axis to become too powerful. And the USA's help was too little too late. ANd then the Axis turned their eyes to the AMericans continents.
"With Japan tied up in India and Australia, they didn't advance much beyond the west coast states. But Germany turned all her might against the East Coast of th United States. And they had developed long range bombers and rockets they could fire from Iceland, both of which could reach virtually the entire eastern seaboard of the USA. And they did. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, even Charlotte, and Montreal in Canada, were particularly hard hit. The government moved to Chicago, for all the good it did them.
"IN June 1944, the largest amphibious assault ever took place when the Germans landed on the DelMarVa penisula and had quick and easy routes to all the major burned out cities. And once the Germans had established the beachhead...well it was only a matter of time. The American government and the resistance fought admirably, and couragously, but, after the Nazis developed nuclear weapons, the end was nigh. They dropped a nuclear bomb on Kansas City, and a few days later on St. Louis and that was it. America surrendered soon thereafter. With the nuclear weapons in the hands of thier enemies, India and Australia sued for peace.
"Despite the fact the Japanese were thier nominal allies, and the Argentinians had allied themselves with the Nazis as well and had free reign in South America, Nazi Germany effectively ruled the world by the end of 1945. And Adolf Hitler went from Furher to Emperor of the known world. He was the absolute, uncontested ruler of the world until his death in September 1969. He was succeeded by his twenty one year old son, Rudolf, who took the title Supreme Emporer Rudolf the First.
"Because of all the nuclear radiation in the atmosphere from the rather liberal use of nuclear bombs, many mutations started showing up in children. Most were phyiscal, some minor, some truly horrible. Some mutations took the form of super powers or abilites. If the World Government discovered any of these, they immediately took them and placed them government training schools. Graduates joined The Force, a group of super powered beings that augmented any military actions taken, including holding down the populace and rooting out the Resistance. The Resistance, when it found children with super powered mutations, it recruited them into thier movement. Several heated dangerous battles between The Force and the super powered Resistance fighters have taken place. I am a member of the Resistance. The Resistance has also managed to get a man high up in the World government, but I won't say anything more about him, I don't want to endanger his position or safety.
"The leaders of the Resistance used strange scientific devices, and I'm personally convinced some sort of mystic items, to scower the multi-verse. And they discovered your dimension. We saw all the super powered types you have. And how much better your world is.
"It was decided a group of us would come here, using my powers of teleportation, augmented by their devices, to ask you, beg you if necessary, to come to our aid. But as we were preparing to do so, The Force attacked us. It was a pitched battle, and we weren't doing very well. And then, our group's leader managed to get me aside and told me I had to leave and come alone. The rest of them would provide a distraction. And, with much reluctance, I did. And I arrived here, as you all saw.
"So, I'm asking you, beggin you, if necessary, please help us free our world."
Everyone was silent as they digested the information, all in their own way. Finally, Shield asked, "I don't really want to sound callous, but arent there enough problems and criminals here we have to deal with? Do we really need to be delving into another world's problems?"
"Good point," Unknown conceded. "However, our problem likely will soon be your problem as well.We've discovered the World Government and Rudolf have found out about your earth, and are planning an invasion. I don't know their timetable for this, but wouldn't you rather fight them before they're prepared to invade? And wouldn't you rather fight them there, rather than here, where there's so much to destroy?"
"He does have a point." Jewelie stated.
"We can protect our earth by freeing theirs." Poltergeist added. Shield nodded.
"If we did do this, how would we help?" bolt asked.
"If we can get rid of Rudolf and his deputy Martun Hapsbourg, our...mole could get into power and hopefully keep it, and reorganize. Even if he can't taking out the top two men in the World Government would do wonders."
"The seven of us are going to take on a World Government and take out it's leaders? Is that realistic?" Dreadnaut cautioned.
"Well, the seven of us,"Unknown replied. "And any remaining members of The Resistance...if there are any...."
"We'll need more help..." Bolt said.
"Hey," Cheshire Cat exclaimed. "the Vindicators! Dreadnaut and I just met them a last week, during that bank robbery. They're setting up headquarters here in DC too. I'm sure they'd help!" She had gotten a number to contact them at, and gave it to Bolt. he called it and spoke to one of them called Laserfire. Explaining the situation as quickly as he could, and detailing the potential invasion, Bolt persuaded them to come to the mansion. They arrived soon at the mansion: Laserfire, an aura of fire around him; Red Squirrel, agile combatant like his namesake; Force, master of forcefields; and White-Out, ice and snow was his pervue.
After some quick greetings, and some more detailed plans and explanation, Unknown had all eleven heroes forma circle around him. And without a further word, he raised his arms and the Protectors, Vindicators, and Unknown himself were surrounded by dark smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the room was empty.