Secret Society Part Four

The beige concrete block of elite condos looked like nothing grown, something that landed here, whole and finished, anchoring the surrounding buildings and the warm mid-afternoon street in a present that would only ever welcome the past. A blind watchtower overseeing the construction of an irrefutable history.

In the car parked opposite, Brae, in a dark suit and tie, and Simon, combat pants and a 'Home' logo shirt, his head shaved, finished assembling the components of what Simon conceptualized as the latest in demolition technology. The digital camera linked to the laptop, remote access to the net. Brae, on the driver's side, began shooting the irregular stream of people entering and exiting the building. Simon uploaded the images to the website where specialist artists and researchers they had never met - or perhaps they had - would make the modifications, add commentary and revelations, before casting them out into the ocean of data. A slow-motion global explosion, erosion.

"Hey, did you hear the latest from Infoborous?" Simon asked, finger tapping keys and tickling the mousepad.

A Scripted Encounter

A GANGBANGER shoves a knife against the throat of a battered MAX. Using MAX as a human shield.

GANGBANGER:
(Yelling out)
He's as good as DEAD.

MAX:
(remaining cool)
You really don't want to piss her off. 

ANGLE ON MAGGIE IN THE SHADOWS as she lines up the shot, finger poised on the trigger.

GANGBANGER:
(shouting)
I mean it. I swear I'll kill him. 

MAX:
(shaking head, whispering)
That was the wrong thing to say.

ANGLE ON GANGBANGER'S HEAD AS IT EXPLODES

Faux News

Here Be A Spider
by Onina Porte

BERLIN (Rueters) - A German woman is lucky to be alive after her car crashed head on into a rockcut, police in the western town of Richlor said. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

The 24-year-old woman was screaming and held a death grip on her steering while a rescue crew tried to get her out. The car was totally destroyed but the woman escaped with only slight injuries.

"She was screaming about a giant spider that crawled across the road," said a witness who refused to be identified. "Later on when she was calmed down she wanted to thank the man in an orange t-shirt who saved her from the spider."

"I guess he came in from the other side of the road, guns blazing," said the witness. "Though, I don't see any sign of a giant spider but it looks like this area was a war zone."

Force of Nature

"Are you getting this?" the reporter asked his camera man. Both men were in the news van. The rain pelted the windshield, making it difficult to see.

"I'm trying but it's hard to focus," the camera man replied. He pointed the portable towards the dock.

The view was of a woman standing on the edge of a dock, her arms outstretched, and it looked like she was holding a sword of some kind. Apparently yelling at the incoming storm. 

"What is she..." the reporter said to no one in particular. "Is she nuts?"

"You leave her alone YOU BITCH!" Maggie yelled to the approaching storm. She stood her ground as the winds screamed at her to run for cover. She raised the katana and the storm descended upon her.

Faux News

Hollywood Actor found
By Hugh Benhad, Associated Press Writer 

LOS ANGELES - The nearly two month search for an Academy Award winning actor ended Friday after a Malibu resident was awakened by the sound of gunfire. 

Tom Klick was awakened early Friday morning when gunfire erupted on the beach behind his ocean-side home.

"I called 911 since I knew there was no movie being shot at our location," said Klick. "After I did that, I took a look out back down to the beach and saw the Stark with a red haired woman battling some 'critters' on the shore."

Klick knew it was the missing Evans Stark since he is a fan of the actor, and thought they were filming a scene down by the sea. The resident said he didn't see any cameras but the action on the beach looked like some kung fu movie.

Just before the police arrived, there was a huge sound like a wet sack being torn apart and then a flash of a bluish-white light, then all fell silent, said Klick.

Police arrived shortly after and discovered Stark lying 40 feet from shore. 

Police said that there was no evidence anyone was actually pursuing the actor, who has worked on such films as "Fisticuffs" and "Cube's Seven".

Stark was taken into custody because he was deemed mentally incompetent and possibly dangerous to himself, said a police spokesperson. 

Stark was questioned by medical and mental health workers and taken to a hospital to make sure that he was in good physical health. He was to be transferred to another hospital for observation.

Police are trying to locate the red-haired woman.

MORGANFOKKER SAYS THAT IT WILL NEVER LAST

On Max's Fridge

A hand drawn cartoon for Max, scribbled by Maggie. Max has put it on his fridge.... 

The grim reaper is at home watching TV when the doorbell rings. He opens the door and Max Cube is standing there in a neon yellow t-shirt, a pistol in each hand. 

"Sorry," says Max. "Your number's up."

Time for a Cool Change

In a dark room, red LED lights turned from 5:54 to 5:55 and that's when the alarm chimed on. The buzzing stirred the figure on the bed.

Max's head hurt; he awoke with the feeling of a million needles poking his brain trying to get the proper response. He felt different. He felt reborn. The sensation of going from one environment to another, like opening a door in a stagnant room to let the country breeze blow through.

A shift must have occurred last night, he thought. He swung his legs out of bed and they felt awkward for a moment. After each shift there were some residual side effects, and he could never get used to them. He stood up, his legs buckled and he caught the dresser to steady himself. That's when he when he noticed that he had breasts.

"Now this is new," he muttered and glanced into the dresser mirror to see a feminine form looking back at him.

Faux News

Mysterious Woman Found
Posted: 3:33am EDT August 16, 2007

Salem, NY --- A woman was found alongside a park in the woods. No one knows the identity of this mysterious person or where she came from. They presume she might have fallen from an airplane. Police are checking into the matter.

The woman remains in a coma. There is suspicion that foul play was involved in her injuries. Several handguns were found in her possession, as well as an ancient Japanese sword said to be over 500 years old.

The woman was found fully-clothed, wearing capri pants and sneakers and a bright yellow Happy Face t-shirt, shortly before 7:30 Monday morning by two teens who were on their way to school.

Doctors said that she is suffering from several "unnatural injuries" but would not go into detail.

The Uniform

Max strolled through his apartment, naked. As he walked past the table he picked up the cellphone. Beads of water still clung to his body. His thumb danced over the numbers and he brought it up to his ear, continuing to walk to his bedroom. He tossed the towel that was draped over his shoulder onto the hamper. 

Come on, he thought. Pick up already. 

He let the phone ring as he surveyed his closet. He had several t-shirts pressed and hanging from hangers. He selected the neon orange t-shirt with the word DANGER in bold black letters across the chest. He went to the drawer and pulled out boxers and some wool socks. On the floor were a pair of canvas pants with tons of pockets. There was no answer.

"Damnation," he muttered as he turned off the phone. Then he dressed in his uniform of the day.

Music Soothes Thy Savage Beasts

"We're going to have a whack of trouble in a few short seconds if you don't hurry up," Max said nonchalantly. He was leaning up against a water cooler. Sipping the cool liquid from a plastic cup.

Maggie's fingers were on the tumbler; she was turning the dial with elegant ease. Her eyes closed and her head cocked to one side as if listening to what her fingers were trying to tell her.

Max figured that someone had tripped the silent alarm; he was pretty sure that it wasn't him or Mags that did so. Maybe it was that security guard that had been watching a western on a laptop, when Max had walked up beside him and asked him if it was any good. The security guard had looked startled and Max had cold-cocked him. Max was thinking now, maybe he should have killed him.

"Anytime now," Max said. He crumpled up the plastic cup.

"Just keep your panties on," Mags said. "I'm just about there."

And like magic the lock clicked into place and Maggie turned the handle to open the door. She smiled like a cat in a room full of canaries as she peered inside and found what she was looking for. And old 45 record.

Faux News

Nun Questioned In Triple Slaying 
By Ksen Daniels
 
HOLYTREE (Reuters) - Sister Margaret Mary, a 77-year-old nun, is being held for questioning in the deaths of three people. 

The sister is apparently the sole survivor of a fight that had taken place in a church, in which a priest and two men were slain. 

"An angel from heaven arrived and saved me," Sister Margaret Mary, dressed in a black habit and veil, said.

"These three 'demons' had entered the church to be destructive, but a lovely red-haired angel came crashing down from the heavens, with a sword of light by her side, to banish the demons," she had told the press.

Police refused to comment on the situation, stating that it is still under investigation.

Gunfire Choir

The gun spoke for him. 

He guessed that the recipient of the bullet didn't like his response. But it still made Max feel good. He was having one hell of a bad week, and this day put the capper on it. He needed a release and he had found it. 

There was a thud in the distance. 

"Okay boys, let him have it!" a voice shouted, and then followed that with a hail of bullets. 

Max was resting against the wall, cigarette dangling from his lips. The sound of bullets bouncing off concrete, marble, plaster, metal was beautiful music to him. Soothing the savage beast.