Return of the Menace
Sneak Peek



Grant Tower
New York City, New York
Independent States of America
21:04 EST, June 17, 2047



Sam looked down at the papers beneath him and sighed. Finances through the roof, lawyer fees, police reports, dates for criminal hearings, accusations, weapon shipments. He glanced it all over before crumpling it with one, large hand and throwing it across the room where it hit the female he hadn't noticed.

Rose Walker had been his original partner. For two years they had fought together, then she had left. Gone to Minnesota and joined the Freedom Fighters. Her red-pink hair blew in front of her face as the wind from the stormy night blew through the open windows. Her costume was much the same: purple body suit, pink shirt covering her chest, black pants went to her ankles, black combat boots, purple mask, and her newest edition: a dark trench coat which hung from her shoulders.

"Getting up there, aren't you?" Sam asked gruffly.

"You always knew how to treat the ladies." Rose said. Sam waved her off and spun his chair around with his back to her. He continued picking up papers from his desk.

Rose picked up the crumple on the floor. She unraveled it and read.

"Mounting a defense?" she asked.

"What does it look like?" Sam growled, looking over his shoulder.

Verdicts set down the papers and set her pink-gloved hand on his shoulder as she had done so many times.

"I need to know where the weapon shipments were going."

"Get your hand off my shoulder." Sam growled.

Rose respectfully removed it. "I need to know." she repeated.

"Why?" the gruff response came.

"Because--" Rose said, looking at the gray-black-haired man. "Someone is using those shipments and preparing for a hostile takeover of this state. Someone is planning on waging war on New York."

Grant snorted. "For that? Or so you can finally be totally rid of your partner?" he spun around in his chair to look a her, hands resting in a thinking position over his beard.

"You still think that is what this is about?" Rose asked after a silent moment. "That I left you because I didn't want to be around you anymore?"

"We both know the truth here, Rose." Sam said. "It's just a question of can you admit it?"

Rose's eyes filled up with tears and she blinked them back. She started for the balcony and turned around to say something to him. 

Something she never got to say.

Bullets struck her in the back and she fell forward, Sam catching the red head even as he yelled her name.

"Rose." he repeated, brushing hair out of her face. 

Bullets skimmed the floor again. Sam dragged her behind his desk.

"Security!" he yelled.

"Hello, Mr. Grant." a sly voice came. "I just wanted to thank you for the weapons beforehand."

"Before what?!" Grant demanded. "Who the hell is this?!"

"What," the voice replied. "Not who. As for your question, I wanted to thank you before we kill you with your own weapons."

The door to Grant's office busted down and laser beams shot into the room, cutting through everything.