🚀 go-pugleaf

        Not much to say that I didn't say yesterday (or the day before :).
        The character who shows up at the end is the main character of Ken
Schmidt, who gave me the idea for this story.  Not that that's why I inclu-
ded the character.  :)


Read Between the Lines #3: "Media Blitz"
Copr. 1993 Mike Escutia
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        "Die, net.heroes, die!!!", the mind-controlled LNHers yelled as they
attacked Pliable Lad, Kid Chivalry, and wReamhack.
        Thinking quickly, Pli stretched an arm out, grabbed a ceiling light,
and pulled himself up to it, picking wReamhack up in his other arm as he did.
Kid Chivalry, not really wishing to fight several mind-controlled LNHers,
teleported up to where Pli and wReamhack were.
        Much to the trio's surprise, however, the controlled LNHers suddenly
stopped attacking--and simultaneously, too.  Pli and KC exchanged quizitive
looks, while wReamhack continued praying that Pli wouldn't drop him.
        "We will wait for you.", Ultimate Ninja said slowly.  "And then you
will die."
        "Gulp.", said wReamhack.

        Meanwhile, in the computer room, the Master of the Net made the
final preparations for posting his control files to every newsgroup in ex-
istance.
        "With the rnring in my possession, the whole world is mine for the
taking!", he said in monologue, bursting into yet another hearty dose of
"MU-HA-HA-HA!!!!".
        "Master," one of his servants said from the main computer terminal.
"Everything is ready.  You may use the ring now."
        "Excellent!  Let us begin--AND LET THE WORLD BE MINE!!!!  (More
laughing)"
        Raising the ring (which was on his right hand) to the terminal,
he concentrated, shouting "Rnring, do your rnthing!!!"
        A burst of energy came out of the ring and hit the terminal, becom-
ing absorbed into it.  Then things started to happen.  The computer was
producing a lot of gibberish, and dumping it all on the terminal screen.
No one in the room knew what it was saying, but the Master of the Net had
a smug look on his face.
        Suddenly, the gibberish stopped and a message--this one readable--
appeared on the screen.  The servant nearest the terminal read the message
and informed his leader.  "Master, the control message has been posted to
all newsgroups.", he said monotonously.
        "Excellent!  And soon, I will be declared ruler of the Net!", the
Master of the Net exclaimed.  "MU-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!"

        Meanwhile, somewhere else, where a thunderstorm is raging outside,
a tall, dark, armored figure with a cape stands up and raises a clenched
fist.
        "I cannot let this 'Master of the Net' take over the Net.", he
says.  "Only *I* can do that, for *I* am the ONE and ONLY rightful person
to rule!  For I am--"
        KRAKAAA-BOOOOOM!!!

        Within the next few moments, the control files that had been posted
with the rnring had spread to nearly every newsgroup, and would soon be
spreading from machine to machine.  All across the net, people were falling
under their influence, and the Master of the Net's new empire was growing very,
very, very fast.  (Hey, news *does* travel fast on the net!)

        Back in LNHQ, Pli, Kid Chivalry, and wReamhack were holding on for
dear life and praying that they wouldn't fall into the reach of the mind-con-
trolled LNHers below.
        Well, okay, so Kid Chivalry was standing on the ceiling and NOT hang-
ing on for dear life.  So sue me.  Not!
        Pli's arms were starting to tire out from both holding wReamhack and
keeping a grip on the chandelier.  If something wasn't done--and soon--things
wouldn't be pretty.
        Multi-Tasking Man came out of the computer room and approached the
group of LNHers gathered underneath the chandelier.  "The master says to kill
them.", he said flatly.
        With one flick of his wrist, the Ultimate Ninja threw a throwing
star at the cord the chandelier was hanging by, thereby effectively cutting
it--and Pli and wReamhack--loose.  Pli, still holding onto wReamhack, tore
away from the falling light fixture...and right into the middle of the group
of LNHers.
        "Oh, spit.", he muttered.
        "Ohhhhh, booooyyyyy", wReamhack yelled.
        "We're in trouble.", Kid Chivalry said as he jumped down off the
ceiling, swords drawn, and cannonballed into the group of LNHers.  Still,
he was hesitant about attacking his own teammates, and eventually got
closed in with Pli and wReamhack.
        "We've gotta get outta here!", Pli exclaimed.
        Almost as if on cue, there was a flash of light and the three
net.heroes found themselves in a darkened room, with a small flashlight
providing the only light.
        They were not alone.  A short figure stood near the three, hol-
ding the flashlight in one hand.
        "Who--who are you?", Pli asked.
        As he asked, the figure raised the flashlight to highlight his
own face...

        "Soon the net will be mine!  MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!", the Master of
the Net was soliloquizing (sp?).  "And no one will be able to stop me!
NO ONE!"
        "Oh, I don't think so", came a voice from the other end of the
room.
        The Master of the Net whirled around to see a man in armor and
a blue cape stepping out of the shadows.
        "Who are you?  Bow down before me!", the Master shouted.
        "No.", the stranger said.  "I am here to stop you, for only I should
rule the net.  Oh, and my name:  I am...Tsar Chasm!"

Concluded tomorrow in Read Between the Lines #4!

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