"How many times do I have to fucking tell you? I don't give a damn about no Star-Boy." Ty barked, leaning back in the seat of the low flying Blackhawk Helicopter. "I don't even want to fucking be here."<br/><br/>"Tough." The clean cut man in sunglasses replied from his seat next to the pilot. "It doesn't matter what you want, and it's Star<em>Man</em>. I know you know this."<br/><br/>"Yeah, yeah. I got the homework packet." Ty answered disgruntled, tossing a manila folder into the seat beside him. "Why do you care about this Star Child anyway? What's it to you if he get's wasted? Shit, one less psycho in spandex ought to be a good thing, given all the shit that ya'll got going on behind the scenes."<br/><br/>At this, the man in the front of the helicopter turned in his seat, sliding his sunglasses from his face to show his stern, piercing blue eyes. The man who operated under the code name Jim Crowe, at least when dealing with young Tyler, had no sense of humor. Least of all when dealing with the sanctity of the secrets of Hunter Corps., and their more taboo enterprises.<br/><br/>"Believe it or not, Tyler, there are things in this world that are more important than you. Things even more important than the Corporation, or even Mr. Hunter himself. The fate of the entire world is hanging in the balance." Jim seethed, clearly having trouble containing his rage at Tyler's arrogance and cavalier attitude. "What happens today will determine the fate of the world. Not just today, but for generations. Mr. Hunter has spared no expense to ensure that you are a part of that future,"<br/><br/>"I don't care about any of that shit." Tyler scoffed, swatting the folder off the seat and sending papers scattering. "Fuck the world and fuck Mr. Hunter too. I don't give a-"<br/><br/>-SMACK!-<br/><br/>Jim struck in a flash, slapping Tyler across his face and silencing him mid sentence.<br/><br/>"What about your family? Do you give a shit about them?" Jim sneered, glaring daggers back at his young and impetuous apprentice. "It would be a shame if a pipe started leaking tonight, and that brand new four bedroom town home went up in a huge ball of fire, with little Kylie, Kara and your momma still inside. Would you care then? Disparaging your generous benefactor who is trying to make you a global hero is a good way to get them hurt. You never know when an accident could happen."<br/><br/>"Watch it<em>Jim Crowe</em>." Tyler warned through clenched teeth. "That house is what's got me out here in the middle of a fucking French typhoon. It'll take a lot more than a house and some cash to own me, though. I didn't think ya'll could just buy niggas anymore."<br/><br/>"Shut up." Jim said dismissively, slipping his glasses back on and turning to face forward. "We're here."<br/><br/>The chopper kicked up mud and rain as it hovered down amongst the vehicles of the military blockade. When the landing gear settled in the mud, Jim was already out of the chopper. He was conversing in French with one of the soldiers, showing him paperwork that authorized the Hunter Corps. chopper to land in this restricted space.<br/><br/>Still seated in the back of the helicopter, Tyler was getting ready. He cocked his .12 Gauge Mossberg, loading a shell into the chamber before slinging the spray gun over his back. Next, Ty spun the chambers of his .44 Magnum pistol clear of the frame, making sure each of the six chambers was loaded with a uniquely large bullet. With the pistol checked and stored, Ty began loading the AR-15 that Jim had provided for this event. The clip made a loud "Clack" as it was slapped into place and another loud, metallic sound as Ty pulled back the breech and loaded the first long rifle round into the chamber.<br/><br/>By now, Coach, the honey colored Pit was barking and lunging at the door of his kennel. The trans-Atlantic flight to France had been difficult enough for the animal, but flying through a rain storm in a helicopter was sheer torture. Now Coach wanted out, wanted it badly.<br/><br/>Jim was on his way back to the helicopter, the blades finally beginning to slow and the engine cool. Tyler tried to compose himself. Through all his bluster and bravado, he was scared. Months ago he was just another college jock, whose biggest concern was making sure his sisters were fed and his mom was staying sober. Now he had to ponder questions like what sort of ammunition would be most effective against a steel-framed Power Suit.<br/><br/>In that moment, with his eyes closed, Tyler saw it: The Iron General swinging forth with a five-finger death punch to Starman's midsection and a bright flash of light. In a that flash, Ty saw Coach, bloodied and yelping as he flew through the air. A moment later, Starman was dead, staring up into the rain through sightless, unblinking, dead eyes.<br/><br/>Ty gasped out loud when Jim slid open the door to the chopper.<br/><br/>"It's time." Jim said gravely, the heavy rain dripping down his bald head and from the rims of his dark glasses.<br/><br/>"Jim, listen! It's no use. There's nothing I can do, man! This shit's all fucked up and Starman is going to eat it! It doesn't matter what I do." Tyler shouted over the sound of the rain, his eyes wild and panicked. "I can't save him! I'm not good enough, I'm not... I'm not like him! I'm no Starman!"<br/><br/>"Get it together, Kid." Jim said, his voice as stern and unemotional as ever, though a smirk tugged at his lips for the first time. "This isn't about him anymore, can't you see that? This is about you, Truth. This is your moment. This is where you write the first chapter of<em>your</em>story. This is the moment of Truth."<br/><br/>Tyler took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. He gripped the handle of his assault rifle tightly, stepping out of the chopper and into the rain. Just as he did so, the flash lit up the night. It wasn't lightning, it was an attack. The death blow Tyler had foreseen landed and the impact wave knocked everyone past the blockade down. Everyone but Truth, who had foreseen and braced for the impact wave.<br/><br/>"Moment of Truth." Tyler repeated stoically, opening Coach's cage. "You're right... I'm ready. My moment. My time!"<br/><br/>Jim pulled himself back to his feet, trying in vain to remove the mud from his immaculately tailored suit. It took him a moment to compose himself after being knocked down by an attack that took place so far away. In the end, he just nodded in response, reaching into the chopper to hand Tyler a black, wrap-around face mask.<br/><br/>"Wear this. Keep the mystery alive for now."<br/><br/>Coach charged first, barking and pumping his pudgy little Pit Bull legs as fast as he could. Ty just nodded and strapped the mask over his face below his black, knit beanie. Black, cargo khakis and a black tank top made up the rest of The Truth's "costume". Tyler had been quite adamant about his refusal to incorporate spandex into his ensemble.<br/><br/>The Truth gripped his rifle in both hands, charging after his faithful dog in a full sprint, covering forty yards every 2.8 seconds. One long legged stride from Ty's powerful legs was equivalent to three strides of an average runner's.<br/><br/>Before even Coach reached the Iron General, there was another. A woman! She was dressed in tight black clothing and a mask as well, though her equipment seemed much more advanced than Tyler's. Even through the rain and disguise, Tyler had to admire her body. Honey had it goin' on!<br/><br/>"Finally, something to fight for..." Ty smirked to himself as he drew close.<br/><br/>Before either Coach or Truth reached the Iron General, the Woman In Black had thrown some sort of disk at the power suit's fist and detonated it, in a kind of electric blast. The suit shut down and went motionless for a moment, in that moment the Woman In Black just stood and stared. Seemingly dumbfounded by the efficacy of her own attack.<br/><br/>Was she really waiting for that thing to hit her back?<br/><br/>Truth knew a chance when he saw one, and fired a volley of five rapid rounds into the glass display of the Power Suit, cracking the glass but not piercing the cabin. Coach was also trying to press the advantage, lunging and biting at the metal casing between the piston powered legs with little to no effect.<br/><br/>The Iron General's power suit hummed back to life, little by little. First it took a step forward, toward the Woman In Black, but that step exposed a network of hydraulic cables. Though Coach didn't comprehend the importance or value of those fragile, rubber tubes; he did recognize that they were not metal. After slipping off the steel shell of the Power Suit, Coach charged the back of the machine's knee this time, locking his jaw around the cables and violently wrenching his head from side to side, bringing down a shower of strong smelling hydraulic fluid that mixed with the driving rain.<br/><br/>"Good boy, Coach!" The Truth shouted after his dog, firing another five shot volley at the window of the Power Suit. "Fuck that nigga up!"<br/><br/>Truth slid to a stop next to the Woman In Black, keeping his weapon aimed at the hulking behemoth, now struggling to lift its leg.<br/><br/>"You gotta keep movin', Boo." Truth warned her. "I'll cover you. Ya got any more sweet fucking toys in that bag of tricks?"<br/><br/>Before Truth had even finished asking his question, The Iron General had reached down and grasped Coach by the throat. A sickening yelp rang out as the robotic arm tossed the dog effortlessly ten feet through the air. Coach tumbled limply through the mud as The Iron General took aim at the black-clad duo with weapons of his own.<br/><br/>Truth saw it in a flash, Gatling guns mowing them both down, blasting their bodies into misshapen wads of torn flesh. Blasting skin and bone into a wide mud puddle of gore.<br/><br/>"Shit! Run!" Truth shouted, firing a steady stream of automatic fire to cover both of their escape. "You killed my dog, you fucking asshole!"